Public comment sought on proposed A-F rule changes
02/24/2015

 

The State Board of Education is seeking public comment on proposed A-F rules. In an unannounced posting on its website, the board has scheduled three public meetings this week.

 

Considering most educators cannot attend a public meeting at 9 a.m. on a school day, we encourage the public to use the state’s public comment form.

 

The public meetings are at the following locations:

 

February 25, 2015 at 9 a.m. (CST)
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation
Administrative Building, Board Room
951 Walnut Street
Evansville, Indiana, 47713

 

February 26, 2015, at 9 a.m.
Marion High School, Board Room #4-4
750 West 26th Street
Marion, Indiana, 46953

 

February 27, 2015, at 9 a.m.
Indiana Government Center South, Conference Room C
302 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204

 

Please urge the state board to consider the following points:

 

• A one-year pause on A-F accountability grades is the most common-sense approach. Indiana’s transition to all new state standards, as well as many other concerns, could potentially have a negative effect on a school’s letter grade. The prudent thing to do would be to carry over last year’s letter grade, so that the effects of Indiana’s new standards on student ISTEP performance can be studied.
• Support should be given for the inclusion of an individual student’s growth in consideration of a school’s letter grade.