State board adopts new measures for issuing school grades
03/16/2016

 

The State Board of Education voted today to implement a new A – F grading system, which incorporates student growth on ISTEP scores in accountability models.

 

The state board voted unanimously to adopt the A – F Accountability Panel’s recommendation to revamp the state’s student and school accountability model. The work is the result of nearly two years of discussion, which finalized a new growth model basing 50 percent of the grade on individual student growth from year-to year. The remaining 50 percent remains based on proficiency. Peer-based comparisons have been eliminated from the accountability model as a factor for scores.

 

The Accountability Panel previously adopted recommendations that student growth should be the criterion for scores. The state board’s decision today finalized the metric that will establish a growth table. The growth table includes grades three through eight. For grades nine through 12, 40 percent of scores will be based on performance and 60 percent will be based on multiple measures. Grade 10 is excluded from the model through 2017 and potentially beyond.

 

Results are based on the 2014-15 ISTEP. This raises concerns given the scoring and administrative glitches of ISTEP and recent legislation that eliminates ISTEP as Indiana’s state assessment as of 2017. A new baseline score will have to be adopted moving forward.

 

The public comment window is now open through April 15 at which time the state board will approve the final growth table selection at its April regular business meeting. Beginning in May, grades will be calculated according to the new system based upon 2015 results.

 

Online public comments may be submitted to SBOE_Comment@sboe.in.gov.

 

The rationale behind the accountability changes is establishing a growth model that will benefit all students who show improvement from one year to the next. This includes students who are already at the high end of the achievement spectrum and non-proficient students who do demonstrate growth.