INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — By an overwhelming margin, a panel of educators and elected officials have detailed a list of alternatives to the ISTEP test. The recommendations reduce the time required to complete the test, move the time of year the test is taken, and suggests a new format may be adopted.
Republican State Senator Dennis Kruse was the committee chairman and says they met about eight times to come up with the recommendations. He says details will have to be worked out by stakeholders at the “implementation level,” meaning incoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick, the Indiana Department of Education and the State Board of Education. Kruse added “I believe we have laid a good foundation for the successful transition to a new, improved test that will better serve our students, teachers and schools.”
Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz voted against the proposal citing a lack of discussion on the final report. She contends the approved changes would retain Indiana’s expensive, inefficient testing program and continue the status quo.
A link to the full study is online at iga.in.gov/documents/b95b99ea.
