Four schools within the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. have received higher scores than the prior year on the Indiana Department of Education’s A-F Accountability System.
Three BCSC elementary schools each improved one grade level — Richards to an A, and Clifty Creek and Schmitt to a C. Northside Middle School also increased one grade, to a B.
Columbus North dropped one grade level, to a B, in the 2017-18 school accountability grades. That’s the same grade as Columbus East. Grades for all other schools remained the same.
The Columbus-based school system received an overall B grade for the third straight year. The district score for Hope-based Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. also held steady at a B for the third straight year.
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Elementary and middle schools are assigned a letter grade based on ISTEP+ scores in performance and growth, which takes into consideration the number of students who catch up, keep up or move up in their ISTEP performance. High schools are also evaluated on ISTEP+ performance and growth, as well as graduation rates and college/career readiness scores.
The Department of Education said 22 percent of schools in the state improved one or more letter grades. Nearly 64 percent of schools received an A or a B, with nearly 9 percent improving their letter grade to an A, the department said.
Two BCSC schools — CSA Lincoln and Rockcreek elementaries — received A scores for at least the fourth straight year.
Lincoln Principal Brett Findley credited the school’s teachers and support staff for working extremely hard to make sure each student is successful.
“They build positive relationships with our students,” he said. “Our students feel supported and want to learn.”
Findley said his staff also believes that school should be fun, which leads to engagement, which leads to learning.
Two local private schools, St. Bartholomew Catholic and White Creek Lutheran School, also attained A grades for at least the fourth straight year
White Creek Principal Whitney Vandercar credited students, teachers and parents for working hard to ensure students’ success.
Besides using the ISTEP+ exam to measure student growth, White Creek Lutheran also uses a computerized test known as MAP, which tests students in math and language arts three times a year, Vandercar said.
The test, administered at White Creek Lutheran School for two years, is similar to iLearn, a computer-adaptive exam for students in grades 3-8 that will replace ISTEP+ in the spring.
“We’re actually hopeful that iLearn will be a better measure of how our kids are doing,” Vandercar said.
School scores at Hope Elementary and Hauser Jr. — Sr. High School remained at a B level for the third straight year, the same as the overall scores for the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp.
But Superintendent Shawn Price said educators at the two Hope schools assess what’s in the A-F reports for conclusions that can be made, but pay more attention to how individual students are doing and whether they are showing growth.
Federal grades
Federal accountability scores were released with the state statistics for the first time in measuring performance for the 2017-18 school year.
The state and federal grades are based on different indicators and are weighted differently, said Bill Jensen, BCSC director of secondary education.
At the state level, elementary and middle schools are evaluated solely on ISTEP+ scores in performance and growth. However, high schools are evaluated based on performance and growth on the ISTEP+ exam, in addition to multiple measures such as graduation rates and college/career readiness scores, Jensen said.
At the federal level, grades are assigned based on different percentages in areas such as achievement and growth on the ISTEP+ exam, graduation rates, career/college readiness, and English language learners proficiency, Jensen said.
Seven BCSC schools received lower scores in the federal assessment than what the state gave out, while eight received the same letter grade.
The federal grades are based on the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 10, 2015.
Jensen said the fact that elementary and middle schools are assigned a grade from the state and at the federal level based off a test is a narrow definition of how they are performing overall.
“We don’t put all our eggs in that basket,” Jensen said.
When Indiana switches in 2019 from ISTEP+ to iLearn to assess students’ skills in grades 3-8, the change will make it difficult to compare grades year-over-year, Jensen said.
High schools will continue to use ISTEP+ for the next two years — until the state decides whether to use the ACT or SAT exams, Jensen said.
“It’s very hard to address a moving target,” Jensen said.
Price said he is hopeful that the switch to the iLearn for elementary students and middle school/junior high students will provide more consistency and solid data the district can use, although that remains to be seen.
BCSC administrators at each school analyze student performance data to determine where they can make improvements, and include changes in school improvement plans required by the state Department of Education each year, Jensen said.
BCSC plans to focus on English language learners proficiency progress and addressing chronic absenteeism — two indicators at the federal level — as it moves forward, Jensen said.
Overall, Jensen said the district feels good about its overall B grade in the A-F assessments, but wants to do better.
“Our focus is an instructional practice,” he said.
“You have to dig deep and see where we can improve and do better for all students,” Jensen said. “And we make sure that each student reaches their full potential.”
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There are different indicators for the state and federal accountability systems in which schools receive a letter grade.
State level:
Elementary and middle schools are assigned a letter grade based on ISTEP+ scores in performance and growth. High schools are evaluated on performance and growth on the ISTEP+, along with graduation rates and college/career readiness scores.
Federal level:
Grades are assigned based on different percentages in areas such as performance and achievement, progress and growth, attendance and English language learners proficiency. Addressing chronic absenteeism, graduation rates and college/career readiness are also factored into a grade that a school receives depending on the grade levels it serves.
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