SBOE Will Address Failing Schools And A-F Growth Tables

The State Board of Education meets Friday for its monthly meeting. It will decide the fate of seven failing schools. (photo credit: Claire McInerny/StateImpact Indiana)

The State Board of Education meets Friday for its monthly meeting, and will address the plan for a few turnaround schools and cast a final vote on the A-F growth tables.

The board will address intervention at seven failing schools: Arlington, George Washington, Emma Donnan, Emmerich Manual, T.C. Howe and Broad Ripple Magnet schools in Indianapolis Public Schools as well as Theodore Roosevelt in Gary.

WFYI’s Eric Weddle covered a public meeting in Indianapolis Wednesday, where SBOE members heard from students, parents and district officials. Many testified they want to see the schools returned to IPS.

Follow him tomorrow on Twitter for updates on the turnaround discussions.

Another significant vote will be about the growth proficiency table. The vote comes after discussion last month and a 30 day public comment period.

Currently, A-F grades for elementary and middle schools are mainly calculated using the passing rate from the ISTEP+. But an overhaul of the school grading system last year made student growth on the test a bigger part of the calculation.

The vote Friday centers around how the Department of Education will calculate growth, and last meeting they chose Table 24 in this document. Tomorrow the board will cast an official vote on this method.

The board will also decide which of its members will serve on the new ISTEP+ panel, a group of educators, lawmakers and other stakeholders that will design the new version of the state assessment.