Schools receive ILEARN results

By: 
Staff Writer Kate Wehlann

To look at the numbers released by the Department of Education showing the results of the new state standardized test, ILEARN, one might draw some dismal conclusions. Surely more than 50% of Hoosier students are proficient in language arts and math! Surely more than just 37.1% of students can manage both!

Teachers and administrators say it’s true. More than half of students in Indiana are capable in language arts and math. One test, they said, a new one at that, is not able to give an accurate picture of the education of young Hoosiers.

The Department of Education agreed, at least for this year. State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick will request the legislature to place a hold harmless year on the 2018-2019 school letter grades, “pause intervention timelines for all schools and provide the State Board of Education with emergency rulemaking authority to review and reestablish the state accountability systems. The success and wellbeing of our students, educators and schools are dependent upon these actions.”

“While the 2019 ILEARN results do not provide a true reflection of the performance of Indiana’s schools, they do once again show us the importance of developing a modernized state legislated accountability system that is fair, accurate, and transparent,” said McCormick.

“ILEARN is a new test and it certainly is not a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of our students and teachers,” said East Washington Elementary Principal Stacy Richardson. “I am pleased that our elementary math and reading scores are above the state average, but I also know, as I hope others do, that ILEARN is one snapshot of time.  There are so many great things happening in our building every day and this is just one test given at one point in time of the school year.”

Read more about this test, and what local administrators had to say about it, in tonight's Salem Leader!

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