Video: Explaining Indiana’s New A-F School Letter Grading System

Here we are again, friends. We at StateImpact Indiana are embarking once more upon a dangerous foray out from behind our radio microphones and into the land of internet video.

But it’s worth the risk: As state officials release this year’s set of A-F school letter grades, we want to explain how Indiana’s new system for calculating those grades — known as “the Indiana Growth Model” — is different from the old method. 

It’s important to understand the changes because — while the new grading system has been controversial and criticized — state officials say the growth model puts a higher premium on closing the socioeconomic achievement gap and tracking individual students’ performance on statewide tests.

We explain in a little more detail how “High Growth” and “Low Growth” measurements are calculated — a subject we address briefly in the video — on our A-F School Ratings topics page.

Check out our video… and be honest: What questions do you still have about the new system? Is there anything we didn’t explain well? And what would you like to see us explain with video or visuals in the future?