INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education released its 2013-2014 ISTEP test results and one local school corporation saw major improvements.
During the 2012-13 school year, students at Milan Community Schools passed both the English and math sections of the test at 71.5 percent. It’s a far different story this year.
Milan Schools received the top positive change by percentage points throughout the state for the 2013-14 ISTEP. The test results improved by 14.3 percent to a score of 86.4 percent.
The school corporation ranked #21 out of 302 schools based on the percent of 3-8 graders who passed both the English and Math portions of the ISTEP.
The English and language arts portion of the test showed a score of 89.8 percent at Milan. The math portion was tallied at 92.4 percent.
Batesville Community Schools also had a strong showing. Students scored 90.3 percent in English and 95.6 percent in math.
88.8 percent of Batesville students passed both sections of the test, which was a percentage point decline from the 2012-13 school year.
Batesville scores were good enough to rank the school corporation 12th overall in the state this year.
2013-14 ISTEP scores from around the area include: Sunman-Dearborn at 82.6 percent; Greensburg at 82.0 percent; Decatur County Schools at 76.5 percent; Franklin County at 70.6; Jac-Cen-Del Schools at 83.4 percent; South Ripley at 85 percent; South Dearborn at 78.1 percent; Lawrenceburg at 74.1 percent and St. Louis school at 86.2 percent and St. Nicholas with 84.2 percent.
Statewide, scores rose slightly. The English and language arts portion of the test resulted in 80.7 percent of Hoosier kids passing—compared to 79.5 percent in 2012-13.
The math section resulted in 83 percent of students passing, with is a three percent improvement from last year. Test takers passed both sections of the ISTEP at 74.7 percent.
Indiana State Teachers Association President Teresa Meredith responded to the scores with, “I am pleased to see that Indiana students are making progress on ISTEP+ and I congratulate students, teachers, parents and administrators.”
“It’s important to remember that the scores are just a snapshot of a student’s progress on a particular day and it’s particularly important to be cautious about how that data might be used,” Meredith said. “But it is good to see positive results in our schools especially when levels of support and resources have declined.”
