The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) released the Spring 2019 Indiana Learning Evaluation and Readiness Network (ILEARN) results today.
This was the test that replaced the ISTEP test in Indiana and educators hoped it would provide improved test scores for students across the state.
However, ILEARN results released Wednesday show that 47.9% of all third- through eighth-grade students in Indiana tested at least proficient in English and 47.8% showed proficiency in math.
Those are down from the 2017-18 ISTEP results for, in which 64.1% and 58.3% of third through eighth graders scored proficient in English and math.
Only 37.1% of Indiana third- through eighth-grade students demonstrated proficiency in both subjects on the ILEARN tests, down from 50.7% in last year’s ISTEP exams.
The poor first-year ILEARN results prompted both Gov. Eric Holcomb and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick to urge Indiana lawmakers to hold school corporations harmless for poor scores.
McCormick last week asked legislators to pause interventions based on ILEARN scores and give the State Board of Education authority to review and alter Indiana’s accountability model, which assigns districts and individual schools “A” through “F” grades based in large part on assessment results.
Here are the scores for East Washington, Salem and West Washington Elementary and Middle Schools.
These statistics were released earlier today by the Indiana Department of Education.
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When compared to past ISTEP+ scores, ILEARN indicated lower achievement levels across the state in both English/language arts and mathematics. While performance dips to some degree were expected, the combination of the rigors associated with this newly aligned CCR assessment, national normative data, and the defined established performance cuts all contributed to the lower performance levels. With the negative impact assessment results have on educators, schools, districts, and communities, IDOE will advocate for responsive legislative action.
“While the 2019 ILEARN results do not provide a true reflection of the performance of Indiana’s schools, they do once again show us the importance of developing a modernized state legislated accountability system that is fair, accurate, and transparent,” said State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick.
“With this in mind, the Department will propose the following legislative actions: place a ‘hold harmless’ year on 2018-2019 letter grades, pause intervention timelines for all schools, and provide the State Board of Education with emergency rulemaking authority to review and reestablish the state accountability system. The success and wellbeing of our students, educators, and schools are dependent upon these actions.”
Mandated during the 2017 legislative session, ILEARN was created to serve as a replacement for ISTEP+. ILEARN assesses CCR content standards in English/language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 4 and 6, high school biology, social studies in grade 5, and U.S. Government in high school.
The state’s new assessment went through several significant shifts, including:
- The development of content priorities defined with the assistance of Indiana educators,
- Computer-adaptive functionality,
- Integration of new accessibility features such as translated glossaries, and a Spanish translation option, and
- Reporting aligned to rigorous CCR indicators as early as grade 3.
Indiana policy recommendations emphasized a shift in rigorous expectations to reflect meaningful data and the identification of support for future student success.
In addition, assessment and adaptability features allow ILEARN to better measure each student’s CCR level of mastery, while identifying where additional instruction may be necessary.
ILEARN achievement levels include: Below Proficiency, Approaching Proficiency, At Proficiency, and Above Proficiency.
