10/08/12 During the October meeting, the Plymouth School Board heard a Plymouth High School Accountability report from Principal Jim Condon. The report followed the release of the A-F grade from the IDOE (Indiana Department of Education). PHS was given the top grade or “A” for the 2011-2012 school year. In the previous year, the school had been listed as a “C” school due to the gradation rate.

Condon said the English 10 ECA (End of Course Assessments) performance rose from 77 percent passing in 2011 to 83 percent passing in 2012. The scores from Algebra I ECA testing were also encouraging with in increase from 88.6 percent to a 91.6 percent passing rate.

The gradation rate increased from 84.7 percent in the school year 2009-2010 to 88.6 percent in 2010-2011. According to Condon, the rate could actually increase if failing students are able to recover the needed credits to graduate.

Factors included in the A-F grading system include the Algebra I and English 10 cohort results, comparison with 8th grade ISTEP + (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) and ECA improvements prior to 12 grade. Additional considerations are made for College and Career readiness (CCR). The calculation is based on the percentage of graduates who receive at least one of the following: Three dual credits, a passing score on an AP (Advanced Placement) exam, or an IDOE approved industry certification.

 

Riverside Intermediate School ISTEP results were present by Principal Jeni Hirschy. Hirschy was the Assistant Principal last year and was named principal at the beginning of the current school year.

Students now take the ISTEP tests in the spring of each year as opposed to the former fall testing.

Hirschy said the ISTEP scores for 5th grade students were down from those recorded in 2011. The total passing decreased from 86 percent to 79 percent. The Math scores also decreased from 94 percent passing to 89 percent passing. There was a decrease in every subgroup including male, female, students who pay for meals and textbooks, and those students who receive free and/ or reduced meals and textbooks. Similar results were reported in the 5th grade Social Studies testing. The percentage of students passing fell from 81 percent to 76 percent.

However, there were increases in the 6th grade scores in Language Arts (77 percent passing to 86 percent passing), Math (81 percent passing to 89 percent passing), and Science (69 percent passing to 73 percent passing).

Hirschy attributed the increase in 6th grade to the implementation of Achieve 3000 and the restructuring of interventions. She said the school has now added Achieve 3000 to 5th grade.

On the IDOE’s grading system, Riverside remained as a “B” school for this year.

 

Lincoln Junior High School Principal Reid Gault reported that the ISTEP scores increased. The IDOE graded LJH as a “C” school, up from last year’s “D” rating.

The 7th grade scores in Language Arts increased from 71 percent passing to 77 percent passing. A similar increase in Math was noted with the increase from 79 percent passing to 82 percent passing. Seventh grade students take the Social Studies test. The final results showed an increase from 73 percent passing to 75 percent passing.

In the 8th grade scores, there was in increase from 71 percent passing to 74 percent passing. The most dramatic increase was in the Math scores where the number of percentage passing went from 56 percent to 75 percent. Due to some irregularities last year, several scores were not counted by the state.

Carol Anders Correspondent