Indiana finalized changes to its school accountability system Friday, making it tougher for schools to receive an “A” grade and putting more weight on student growth from year to year.
The new A-F accountability measures were approved in early May when the Indiana State Board of Education voted in favor of making the changes, and they were made an official rule Friday.
“It’s received all of the necessary approvals and is now a published rule,” said Marc Lotter, director of external relations for the education board, in a telephone interview.
The new way of calculating A-F grades for schools likely means schools won’t be racking up A grades as easily as before, and fewer schools will be given D and F grades, too.
“There will be a decrease at both ends and more schools in the middle,” Lotter said.
That’s because school districts will not only be graded on how well students do on standardized tests like ISTEP, but also will be rated depending on how many students improve on the tests from year to year. Under the previous accountability standards, schools were only given bonus points for such growth.
As a result, schools given D and F grades that typically take a hit because of low test scores may see higher letter grades.
In addition, schools that traditionally get A grades may see their scores go down because all students with special needs and those who receive free or reduced-price lunch or are English language learners must show growth, too.
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