ISTEP Disaster: How did we get here?
12/16/2015
Confidence in ISTEP is at an all-time low after an Indianapolis Star investigation found that CTB/McGraw-Hill, the company behind the controversial test, knew about inaccurate ISTEP scores but did nothing about them. In order to better understand the challenges ISTEP has faced, we prepared a timeline to highlight just how we got to this point.
ISTA has been calling for a pause in accountability linked to ISTEP for more than a year. ISTA started the call for a pause in accountability predicated on common sense data that indicates implementing a new statewide standardized test, even under normal circumstances, takes some adjusting; and therefore, lower than normal test scores are to be expected. Labeling a school A – F and evaluating teachers based on the initial year's baseline score is unfair. However, with issue after issue plaguing testing and scoring, the integrity of the test has been questioned, and ISTA’s calls for a pause has received broadened support.
May 2013 – Gov. Pence signs HEA 1427 voiding Common Core standards in Indiana
July 2013 – Gov. Pence withdraws state from PARCC
April 2014 – State Board of Education adopts new standards to replace Common Core
June 2014 – U.S. DOE informs INDOE that Indiana must now develop a new ISTEP for 2014-15, otherwise face losing waiver status; ultimatum gives state two months to develop and implement new ISTEP
June 2014 – ISTA warns of accountability consequences of using new test without a baseline; recommends a pause
June 2014 – Gov. Pence sends letter to U.S. DOE stating he will not allow any pause on accountability
Aug. 2014 – U.S. DOE Sec. Duncan says he will allow flexibility in waiver to pause accountability for transition year
Aug. 2014 – With new clearance from U.S. DOE, ISTA calls on Gov. Pence to pause accountability
Aug. 2014 – ISTA delivers letter to Gov. Pence asking for pause
Jan. 2015 – Glitches are reported statewide on ISTEP practice test
Feb. 2015 – Weeks before testing begins, public learns due to a new test, ISTEP will take up to 12 hours, doubling in time; Gov. Pence and INDOE work on cutting time by 3 hours
Feb. 2015 – Gov. Pence signs an executive order to have ISTEP length reviewed by outside experts
Feb. 2015 – Supt. Ritz announces she has reduced ISTEP test time by more than three hours
Feb. 2015 – ISTA again calls for a pause
April 2015 – Testing glitches are reported around the state prompting some schools to ask for delays or permission to use paper and pencil
Aug. 2015 – CTB tells the INDOE that a scoring glitch will delay ISTEP results, says results will come Dec.
Sept. 2015 – ISTA calls for legislative fix due to ISTEP delays
Oct. 2015 – Interim study committee on education votes against a pause
Oct. 2015 – Gov. Pence announces he’s working with legislators to ensure teachers are not penalized for decline in ISTEP scores
Nov. 2015 – Gov. Pence and legislators ignore calls for pause on Organization Day
Nov. 2015 – CTB website for ISTEP re-scoring requests has technical issues
Nov. 2015 – Nearly a quarter million ISTEP items must be re-scored at parents’ request
Dec. 2015 – Indy Star says whistleblowers at CTB claim thousands of tests were misscored