According to Alyson Klein, author for Education Week, state and district leaders were eager to try out a new kind of assessments when Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). But, as state policymakers started to take a closer look at the ESSA, they started to reconsider whether they wanted to participate or not. […]
According to Emma Kate Fitts, education reporter for the Muncie Star Press, most schools in Muncie had their 2016 state A-F grades drop compared to their grades in 2015. While the scores have dropped, it is important to realize that 2016’s scores were calculated using a new method. This year, the method of scoring took […]
District leaders believe schools and teachers should not be penalized for the low scores on the ISTEP. ISTEP scores distinguish whether a school is an A-F school and are used for teacher evaluations. Since the scores from 2015 were so low, the lawmakers did not hold schools or teachers accountable. Many are wondering and have […]
On November 28, the ISTEP committee passed a final draft for their suggestions for their replacement for ISTEP. They did not specifically state what test should replace it, but they did state that it should be an already existing test. They also suggested that the replacement should only be in May, cut down testing time, […]
Vice President-elect Mike Pence signed the bill that was supposed to end ISTEP by spring 2017, however students are still taking the test. Students will continue taking the ISTEP until our state legislators decide on a new standardized test. In 2015, the ISTEP scores were so low that the legislators decided not to allow any […]
On November 8, 2016, Jennifer McCormick from Yorktown Community Schools won the seat of new state superintendent of public instruction. As of right now, she is focused on a few things before January. McCormick wants to build her department and prepare for the legislative session. She will also be discussing and determining a replacement for […]
On October 18, formal state superintendent Glenda Ritz and state superintendent candidate Jennifer McCormick were asked various questions from a crowd of 65 at Ball State University’s Alumni Center. One topic discussed was on testing. Ritz wants to implement a computer-adaptive test that focuses on reading rather than writing, which will save the state $12 […]
Ex-Chief Seeks New School Role Stephen Edwards is running for one of the three open seats on the Muncie Community Schools board. Stephen has been in Marion Community Schools for thirty-five years, including being the superintendent. He helped turn the “failing” district around financially by $4 million in surplus to $20 million in surplus. With […]
Ball State to Defend Failing Charter School The State Board of Education is deciding Hoosier Academy’s, a charter school, fate because they have received five F’s in the past five years. Hoosier Academy is below state average in ISTEP scores, iRead scores, and graduation rates. Their drop out rates is also 60% above state average. However, […]
Another Year Scrambling to Secure Teachers As school starts to roll around again, schools within the Muncie Community Schools were scrambling to secure teachers. Multiple factors contribute to this problem. One factor is that teachers are not receiving an additional pay increase for staying another year in the district. Instead, teachers’ pay corresponds to their […]
Testing Advisory Committee Raises Concerns Over ISTAR Test The ISTAR assessment has made its first year of administration in Indiana schools. Students with cognitive disabilities took this test and a state testing committee is now testing its validity. The three tiers of ISTAR evaluate students at different levels. However, some believe that the test cannot […]
Indiana Scraps ISTEP but will its replacement face a political test? On March 22nd 2016, Mike Pence signed a bill that eliminated the controversial ISTEP assessment. With the newly formed academic standards, Indiana citizens are questioning how much the state education officials can change the assessment. They must stick to the standards, so will […]
An article was recently written regarding social media usage with teenagers who have disabilities. The article mentions the positive aspects of the use of social media. An example includes talking with one another, especially for students who don’t make eye contact with others when interacting in person. The use of social media also leaves a […]
A recent article and interview was published regarding teaching in an urban setting. The individual being interviewed, Christopher Edmin has recently written a book titled “For the White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too”. He discussed the importance in teachers who come from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of […]
A recent article was written regarding a particular student who is not only gifted, but she is also an English Language Learner. Throughout this article, it not only discusses this particular young lady and her experiences, but it also talks about ELL students in general. The 17 year old student was fortunate to have a […]
On April 11, 2016 an article was written regarding the new law that is to replace No Child Left Behind. Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA is to do a number of things. Currently a few tweaks are being worked out with the law. One concern that is addressed in this article focuses on how […]
On March 25, 2015 Allie Bidwell wrote an article that focuses on the growth that has occurred since the Common Scores have been adapted in many states. Studies have be completed in order to determine whether or not gains have been made. One factor that makes it difficult to determine how the Common Core standards […]