Federal school accountability ratings released

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — The Indiana Department of Education has released the Federal School Accountability Ratings for the 2018-2019 academic year. The department says more than 56% of Hoosier high schools and 53% of elementary and middle schools received a “Meets Expectations” or “Exceeds Expectations” rating.

This is the second year Indiana schools are being assessed under two accountability systems, due to differences between federal and state accountability requirements. However, an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education allows Indiana schools to receive federal accountability ratings, instead of federal accountability grades.

“As the purpose of the federal accountability system is to provide actionable data that is accessible and aligned to long-term policy goals for student achievement, this change will also allow for a better understanding of the system as a tool to more accurately measure achievement and provide motivated progress towards success, as opposed to it simply becoming a punitive mark,” the IDOE said in a news release.

Moving forward, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick said it is important the state develops a single, modernized, state-legislated accountability system that is “fair, accurate, and transparent.”

You can view the federal accountability ratings by clicking here.

The State Board of Education has adopted a resolution to withhold a vote to release the state accountability grades until action is taken by the 2020 Indiana General Assembly. In October, legislators announced a plan to develop a “hold harmless” policy in an effort to prevent schools’ grades from being affected by the results of the first ILEARN exam, which showed a sharp decrease in the number of students who passed.