Statewide—The results of Indiana’s new ILEARN exams are more than disappointing. The state released the numbers Wednesday. Almost two out of three school students didn’t pass the critical math and English Language Arts sections of the exam.
Educators say Indiana’s new high stakes exam is more complicated, longer and more difficult than the old ISTEP+ exams. Students who mostly use paper, pencils and books suddenly had to do all their reading writing, arithmetic and answering on a computer. Teachers report watching students running out of energy while struggling through a test that had no time limit.
Public and private schools of all sizes, in all parts of the state and on all achievement levels saw test scores fall. Statewide, only 37 percent of students passed both the English Language Arts and math portions of ILEARN, compared to 51 percent who passed the old ISTEP+ test.
ILEARN tests the critical skills of third through eighth-graders. The exam measures students’ academic achievement and progress. The results are also used to evaluate teachers’ performance and help determine the A through F letter grades the state assigns to schools. Persistently failing schools risk sanctions that include a state take over.
Superintendent McCormick and Governor Eric Holcomb are calling on lawmakers to hold teachers and schools “harmless.” In other words: don’t hold them accountable for the low test scores.
The Indiana State Board of Education announced Wednesday it would not give schools letter grades until the General Assembly takes action. The General Assembly will ensure this year’s ILEARN scores don’t have a negative impact on schools and teachers.
We checked the passing rates of several elementary schools in Decatur, Franklin, and Ripley Counties. The highest rate for area elementary schools was 54.1% passing from Mount Carmel School in Franklin County. To view those results and those of all Indiana schools, click here.
