A change in state standards in 2014 is still impacting Indiana schools. This time last year schools had started and were awaiting word on direction for their curriculum from the state. This year they are trying to put together mandated school improvement programs without any clue on how they did on the ISTEP tests last spring.
"You would expect that school improvement plans would be submitted at the beginning of the school year," said Washington School Superintendent Dr. Dan Roach. "Now, here we are in the middle of starting the school year and yet we don't have the information and data to set a base for the work we are currently doing."
State officials say the results on the ISTEP are going to be delayed. Local schools may have quite a long wait before they see them.
"The (Indiana) Department of Education says possibly we'll have ISTEP scores in mid-October, however, that's not guaranteed that we will see that information," said Roach. "The letter grades for schools may not be available until sometime in December. Along with that is the fact that while the DOE might receive the testing scores, they want to be able to validate those. That is because the standards were being developed as the year progressed, the standards and the test may not align."
The shifting standards have been a trouble for Indiana schools. The state has gone from its own standards to "common core," and then to another new set of standards all in a few years. Rebuilding the curriculum to reach those standards and giving guidance to schools on getting ready for the high stakes standardized tests turned into a nightmare last spring. Local school officials were getting e-mails from the state daily outlining changes.
Indiana School Superintendent Glenda Ritz has suggested that because of the problems schools should not be graded on the results of last spring's ISTEP. Even federal officials noticed the problems in Indiana.
"Arne Duncan, the federal Secretary of Education, agreed that given the multitude of changes, the state of Indiana should forego accountability for those test results from last year and allow that to be a baseline year," said Roach. "Our governor has chosen to disagree with the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction and Arne Duncan. Many legislators and the state board of education have held firm that schools will be held accountable for that test."
Slow ISTEP test results will also impact schools on how they wind up paying teachers. Schools are required to have contracts in place by October. The ISTEP results and their impact on the individual school funding are going to be delayed. The end result is that schools are negotiating salaries with no clue as to what their financial future holds.
"It appears we won't have the data to finalize who all is eligible for a raise and we cannot in turn issue any increases, and everyone will be under a status quo contract at least until the end of the first semester," said Roach. "What I see as problematic is we may be giving an increase, which will be retroactive and disproportionate in that regard after the first of the calendar year. If we then in turn have a new contract with other raises in the second half of 2016, there is a possibility you may not have enough money appropriated for such a scenario."
The Washington School Board has put in place a staff performance plan overview, which is part of the school improvement plan and school officials feel that they at least have a feel for the standards and what the state expects them to teach. Still, the lack of information because of the delayed results is presenting an additional challenge in the classroom.
"Our teachers are doing a good job," said Roach. "They have an idea of what they need to work on. On the other hand, they don't have the specifics to know where the pitfalls are from the previous year. If we are expected to take a scientific approach and move forward, we do need that information."
That is a message school officials from around the state hope those making the decisions in Indianapolis understand.
"I do with the powers that be would take a strong look at this," said Roach. "Ultimately, this comes down to the fact that I don't feel the test scores are reflective of what was accomplished last year for both our students and teachers. Despite all of the obstacles, I believe everyone did their very best and should get credit for that."