The North Judson – San Pierre School Corporation says waiting on the state for direction is a lesson in frustration.
ISTEP scores have been embargoed, or unable to be shared, until December 8th for the school corporation. Any testing results shared with staff have come with a recommendation from the state that they be taken with a bit of caution.
The test students took in 2014/15 was a new standard and test. N.J.-S.P- Superintendent Lynn Johnson says that a new test is expected in 2015/16 as well.
“I think this year will probably be straightened out, I would hope. But this 2014/15, we’re kind of all in limbo so we just don’t know where we stand,” says Johnson. “By the time we get everything back and go through it, it’s going to be time for the next test. I’m not sure how useful the data will be.”
Reduced ISTEP scores in English and Mathematics across Indiana for the previous year have prompted officials with the state Department of Education and the state Board of Education to consider methods for evaluating the results.
According to the discussion during last week’s North Judson – San Pierre School Board meeting, administrators were still evaluating the results, locally.
“When we reviewed ours, we have gray bubbles above, we have gray bubbles slightly below, but right now, they’re embargoed. We can’t share those,” says Johnson.
Written portions of the ISTEP test could be rescored. Disparity in the difficulty levels between the written version of the test and the online version has also caused concerns around the state. N.J.-S.P. students experienced technical problems with the online version, putting the school corporation in a bit of an odd position.
Certain officials with the state have called for fast solutions to the problems associated with ISTEP.
