Local ILEARN scores mostly in line with state

When compared to state proficiency percentages in the controversial 2018-19 ILEARN tests, Putnam County’s four school corporations more or less line up with state averages.

That is to say, for someone looking at the scores without context, the results of the newly-instituted test would paint a pretty bleak picture of education in Putnam County and the Hoosier State.

ILEARN was administered to students in grades three through eight for the first time last spring, with the results released by the State Board of Education on Wednesday.

Also like at the state level, local leaders are not expressing their confidence in the ILEARN, which might be even less popular than the long-criticized ISTEP test it replaced.

In a recent column submitted to the Banner Graphic, the four Putnam County school superintendents — Bruce Bernhardt of South Putnam, Jeff Hubble of Greencastle, Greg Linton of Cloverdale and Nicole Singer of North Putnam — outlined some “concerning aspects” of the ILEARN that they felt would adversely impact students, teachers and districts:

1. Students were tested on material they may have had little or no experience with.

2. The rescore request window was provided prior to parents’ and/or school administrators’ access to student ILEARN scores.

3. The cutoff scores determining a Pass or Fail were set high and after testing concluded.

“In short, these and other factors will drive most Indiana public schools’ ILEARN scores down and will create a perception that our public school teachers are ineffective in providing your student(s) a high-quality education,” they wrote. “This couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Considering the effects these factors could have on individual teachers, the superintendents asked that individuals contact state legislators with four demands:

A. ILEARN scores will not adversely impact teachers,

B. The grading of school districts based, in part, on ILEARN scores be immediately paused,

C. Teachers and administrators are afforded adequate time to review the new ILEARN so it may inform adjustments to curriculum and instruction, and

D. to stop changing the metrics by which our schools are evaluated every few years.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick had similar comments.

“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,” McCormick said.

“With this in mind,” she continued, “the Department (of Education) will propose the following legislative actions: place a ‘hold harmless’ year on 2018-19 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 well-being of our students, educators and schools are dependent upon these actions.”

At the corporation level, only North Putnam Schools significantly outpaced the state average in English/language arts (ELA), math and the combination of the two.

At 55 percent of students proficient, North Putnam was well above the state proficiency percentage of 47.9. Its 59.1 percent on math was even further above the state average of 47.8.

Additionally, 45 percent of North Putnam students in grades three through eight were proficient in ELA and math.

South Putnam well exceeded the state average in math at 54.6 percent, while it exactly matched the state ELA percentage of 47.9. Meanwhile, 39.8 percent of South Putnam students passed both, nearly three points ahead of the state average.

At Cloverdale Community Schools, the ELA percentage was 47.4, the math was 53.5 and those proficient in both constituted 39.5 percent of students.

Meanwhile at Greencastle, 45.6 percent of students were proficient in ELA, 45.4 percent in math and 35.6 percent in both.

Students in grades four and six were also tested on science. The proficiency rates were 57.7 for South Putnam, 57.3 for North Putnam, 58 for Cloverdale and 44.4 for Greencastle, compared to a state passing rate of 47.4.

Likewise, fifth-graders across the state were tested on social studies. The proficiency rates in these were 46.4 at South Putnam, 47.1 for North Putnam, 52.3 for Cloverdale and 46.3 for Greencastle, compared to a state rate of 46 percent.

Regardless of how any of these numbers compare to state averages, none of them fall in line with what teachers or administrators wish to see.

Fortunately for education leaders, state politicians are speaking in support of at least a “pause” on the impact of ILEARN scores.

Though not as strong in his condemnation of ILEARN as a whole, Gov. Eric Holcomb expressed a desire for similar actions in the short term.

“Since this is the first year of the ILEARN assessment, I will ask Superintendent McCormick to support my request that the General Assembly take action to hold schools harmless so the test scores do not have an adverse impact on teacher evaluations and schools’ letter grades for the 2018-19 school year,” Holcomb said. “This action will ease the transition to ILEARN, which is a student assessment that allows Indiana to comply with federal ESSA requirements.”

Sen. Rodric Bray, who not only represents part of Putnam County, but also serves as president pro tem of the senate, also wants a delay.

“A strong accountability system is important for our students and schools, but we must be sure that the system is fair,” Bray said. “I believe in our teachers and schools and know they are working hard to benefit our kids. As such, I’m in favor of delaying the impact of the ILEARN scores for a year as schools and teachers continue to adjust to this new exam.”

Across the aisle, Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane had stronger words for ILEARN and the way the GOP-controlled General Assembly handles education matters as a whole.”

“Legislative leadership in Indiana needs to refrain from consistently changing the rules in the middle of the game for our students and educators,” Lanane said. “This is not the first time we have seen a dip in test scores attributed to lack of time to adjust to new testing guidelines. Additionally, we shouldn’t rely on such high stakes testing to determine a school’s funding as well as teachers’ performance bonuses.

“Let’s let our teachers teach and our students learn, and if changes must be made, the legislature needs to make a better effort to listen to those who have actually spent time in the classroom.”

Of these comments, only Lanane’s fall in line with the local administrators’ comments on ILEARN and the mandates it represents.

“ILEARN is a shining example of how federal and state mandates are hurting students, teachers and districts,” the superintendents wrote. “The number of teachers and staff leaving the profession is staggering and the lack of young people entering the profession is even more concerning. It is a trend that simply cannot be sustained.“