Indiana A-F grades: EVSC sees fewer failing schools, number of A schools unchanged

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Fewer Indiana schools received an A rating for the 2017-18 school year, but fewer schools also received failing marks, according to new accountability grades released by the state Wednesday.

The number of A schools across the state decreased minimally to 28.7 percent, or 605 schools, compared to last year’s 624 schools.

Ninety-three schools, or 4.4 percent, got an F over the previous school year when 133 schools got a failing grade.

Nearly 64 percent of Indiana schools earned an A or B rating for the 2017-18 school year.

Almost nine percent of Hoosier schools improved their letter grade to an A over the previous school year, state officials reported. And across the state, roughly 22 percent of schools improved one or more letter grade compared to last year.

Other Indiana schools:

• B schools increased slightly over last year with 44 more schools earning a B.
• Schools rated a C or D decreased slightly compared to last year. About 20 percent of schools earned a C, while 9.4 percent earned a D.

But those are just the state accountability grades.

Indiana schools get two A-F grades

New this year, schools received two letter grades: one from the state and another federal grade. The reason, state officials said, is because of a discrepancy between state and federal standards.

So, the Indiana Department of Education also released federal A-F grades Wednesday.

Roughly 67 percent of Indiana public schools received the same letter grade for both state and federal accountability systems.

However, 31 percent of schools received a higher letter grade on the state accountability system.

Differences in performance metrics between state and federal accountability metrics were the main factor in discrepancies for 33 percent of school letter grades, according to IDOE officials.

The state decided to keep the A-F calculation model, but EVSC deputy superintendent for school support and accountability Katie Minihan said it didn’t meet all the requirements of the federal model, so this year schools have two A-F grades.

“Instead of creating a new model that meets federal requirements, and then create another new model that aligns with Graduation Pathways, we’re going to keep our old model while we work toward a new model to align with Graduation Pathways,” Minihan explained.

It’s “very confusing” she said, especially since many schools earned higher grades on the state system. Ideally, Minihan said the state would’ve adopted an accountability system that met federal requirements so there would only be one system.

“For most school buildings, looking at the state model makes the most sense in terms of how we’re really held accountable within Indiana,” Minihan said. “However, the federal model doesn’t look at just test scores, which is what the Every Student Succeeds Act was attempting to get states to do, to include multiple measures in their accountability system.”

EVSC state A-F grades

As a corporation, the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. earned the same state grade as last year: C.

While the number of EVSC schools to earn the top grade remained unchanged, fewer schools were labeled an F.

In the EVSC, five schools out of 35 – Central and North high schools, Oak Hill, Cynthia Heights and West Terrace – received an A. Cynthia Heights and West Terrace schools both increased their grades from last year when they received a C and B, respectively.

Six EVSC schools got an F, three fewer schools compared to the previous year. Those schools are: Academy for Innovative Studies, Caze, Dexter, Evans, Glenwood Leadership Academy and Lodge.

Minihan said educators are proud most schools – 19 – received an A or B. Every year Minihan states the grades are just one measure schools receive, and they come well into the following school year. But it’s something officials must look at, she said.

“When we look at our schools beyond just letter grades, most of our schools got an improvement in the number of points they earned,” she said. “They may not have changed their letter grade status, but they did make an improvement in their overall points.”

Other EVSC school grades: 14 schools were given a B over last year’s 11; three schools got a C over the previous year of seven; and seven schools were given a D compared to last year’s three.

Accountability

The Indiana Department of Education released the 2017-18 school accountability grades Wednesday. Not only do A-F ratings affect the perception of a school’s quality, but they also can influence bonuses teachers receive in their annual evaluations.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick said in a statement the work of Indiana educators is “paying off.”

“Our current accountability grades are an indication of the great education Indiana students are receiving,” McCormick said.

In 2015, the State Board of Education established new metrics for the performance-based accountability system. In the 2015-16 school year, A-F grades provided a new baseline because 2014-15 grades were artificially high after lawmakers gave schools relief for the first year of the new, more rigorous ISTEP test.

The state grades are based not only on the number of students who pass or fail the ISTEP but also on whether those students improved. In the long run, officials expect the model to lead to fewer “A” schools but help lower-performing schools boost their ratings if students show progress.

This school year, students in grades 3-8 transition to ILEARN, which assesses the same Indiana Academic standards as ISTEP, but it is computer adaptive and doesn’t have time limits, Minihan explained.

ISTEP will continue as the sophomore graduation requirement through 2022 until the Graduation Pathways system is started.

While Indiana standards have stayed the same, Minihan said there is a new measure and a new assessment, so it will be interesting to see ILEARN test scores and “how that translates into accountability grades.”

State officials haven’t said, but Indiana schools will likely receive two accountability grades for the next few years, Minihan said.

For more on 2017-18 school grades, visit: doe.in.gov/accountability/find-school-and-corporation-data-reports. 

For a list of local school grades, visit courierpress.com.

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Spring 2018 ISTEP:Results mostly unchanged or decreased slightly

EVSC Superintendent:2018 ISTEP score delay 'different year, same result'

Local state A-F school accountability grades

2017-18 school year grade; 2016-17 grade

Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp.: C, C

Academy for Innovative Studies: F; F

Bosse High School: B; B

Caze Elementary School: F; F

Cedar Hall Community School: D; F

Central High School: A; A

Cynthia Heights Elementary School: A; C

Daniel Wertz Elementary School: B; B

Delaware Elementary School: D; F

Dexter Elementary School: F; F

Evans School: F; F

Fairlawn Elementary School: C; C

Glenwood Leadership Academy: F; F

Harrison High School: B; B

Harper Elementary School: D; C

Hebron Elementary School: B; D

Helfrich Park STEM Academy: B; B

Highland Elementary School: C; C

Lincoln School: D; D

Lodge Community School: F; F

McGary Middle School: D; F

New Tech Institute: B; B

North High School: A; A

North Junior High School: B; C

Oak Hill Elementary: A; A

Perry Heights Middle School: B; B

Plaza Park International Prep Academy: B; C

Reitz High School: B; B

Scott Elementary School: B; A

Stockwell Elementary School: B; A

Stringtown Elementary School: D; C

Tekoppel Elementary School: B; B

Thompkins Middle School: B; B

Vogel Elementary School: C; B

Washington Middle School: D; D

West Terrace Elementary School: A; B

Warrick County School Corp: A; A

Boonville High School: B; B

Boonville Middle School: A; A

Castle High School: A; A

Castle North Middle School: A; A

Castle South Middle School: A; A

Chandler Elementary School: B; A

Elberfeld Elementary School: B; A

John H Castle Elementary School: A; A

Loge Elementary School: A; A

Lynnville Elementary School: B; A

Newburgh Elementary School: A; A

Oakdale Elementary School: A; A

Sharon Elementary School: A; B

Tecumseh Middle School: A; B

Tecumseh High School: A; B

Tennyson Elementary: B; B

Yankeetown Elementary School: A; A

MSD North Posey County: B; A

North Posey Junior High: C; B

North Posey High School: A; A

North Elementary School: C; B

South Terrace Elementary School: A; A

MSD of Mount Vernon: B; A

Mount Vernon High School: B; A

Mount Vernon Junior High School: B; B

West Elementary School: A; B

Farmersville Elementary School: B; A

Marrs Elementary School: A; A

Independent Non-Public Schools: 

Evansville Christian School: A; A

Evansville Christian School Newburgh: A

Evansville Day School: A; A

Signature School Inc.: A; A

Evansville Lutheran School: C; B

Joshua Academy: B; C

Catholic Diocese of Evansville

Annunciation Catholic at Christ the King: A; B

Annunciation Catholic at Holy Spirit: C; C

Corpus Christi School: A; A

Flaget Elementary School: B; A

Good Shepherd School: A; A

Holy Cross School: B; A

Holy Redeemer School: A; B

Holy Rosary School: A; A

Holy Trinity Catholic School: A; A

Mater Dei High School: A; A

Reitz Memorial High School: A; A

Resurrection School: A; A

Rivet Middle & High School: A; C

Saint James School: A; A

Saint John the Baptist School: A; A

Saint Joseph School: A; A

Saint Wendel School: A; A

Saints Peter & Paul School: A; A

St Benedict Cathedral School: A; A

St Bernard Catholic School: A; A

St Joseph School: A; A

St Matthew School: B; B

St Philip School: A; A

Washington Catholic Elementary School: A; B

Washington Catholic Middle/High School: D; C

Westside Catholic School: A; B

East Gibson School Corp.: C; B

Barton Township Elementary: B; A

Francisco Elementary School: B; B

Oakland City Elementary School: F; C

Waldo J Wood Memorial Junior High: C; C

Waldo J Wood Memorial High: C; A

North Gibson School Corp.: C; C

Princeton Community Intermediate School: B; C

Princeton Community Primary School: B; C

Princeton Community Middle: D; B

Princeton Community High School: B; C

South Gibson School Corp.: A; A

Habustadt Community School: A; A

Gibson Southern High School: A; A

Fort Branch Community School: A; B

Owensville Community School: B; C