ISTEP+

Noblesville Schools released results of the 2000 Fall ISTEP+ test in January. Students in grades 3, 6, 8 and 10 took the ISTEP+ test in September.

The percentage of students who met or exceeded Indiana Proficiencies is as follows:

Grade 3:
Math, 83 percent
English/Language Arts, 77 percent
Total Battery, 71 percent

Grade 6:
Math, 73 percent
English/Language Arts, 61 percent
Total Battery, 55 percent

Grade 8:
Math, 76 percent
English/Language Arts, 80 percent
Total Battery, 68 percent

Grade 10
Math, 81 percent
English/Language Arts, 84 percent
Total Battery, 77 percent

Those numbers include special education students and students with limited English proficiency.

In grade 3, 14 percent of the students tested were special education students. Of those, 64 percent fell below state standards in language arts and 44 percent were below in math.

In grade 6, 18.8 percent of the students tested were special education students. Of those, 69 percent fell below state standards in language arts and 52 percent were below in math.

In grade 8, 14.3 percent of the students tested were special education students. Of those, 36.4 percent fell below state standards in language arts and 56.1 were below in math.

In grade 10, 11.1 percent of the students tested were special education students. Of those, 72.9 percent fell below state standards in language arts and 64.6 percenet were below in math.

National Percentile Scores can be used to compare one group of students to students in the same grade nationwide who took a similar test. For example, Noblesville's third-grade National Percentile score for the total battery of tests is 85.1 percent. It means that the third-graders scored in the top 15 percent of students nationwide.

Sophomores did not take the achievement test on which the National Percentile Scores are based. The scores for grades 3, 6, and 8 are as follows:

Grade 3:
Total battery, 85.1 percent
Reading, 76 percent
Language, 79.9 percent
Mathematics, 89.8 percent

Grade 6:
Total battery, 76.3 percent
Reading, 71.8 percent
Language, 70.8 percent
Mathematics, 80.1 percent

Grade 8:
Total battery, 75.4 percent
Reading, 71.8 percent
Language, 73.9 percent
Mathematics, 76.4 percent

Deputy Superintendent Lynn Lehman points to several emerging trends in his 2000 ISTEP+ summary:

- On the average, students performed better on the test than 70 percent of all students taking the test.

- For the total battery of tests in the ISTEP grades, students are scoring above their expected achievement level.

- In meeting expected performance levels in either language arts or math, the percentage of students meeting the state standards range from a low of 61 percent at grade 6 in language arts to a high of 84 percent at grade 10 in language arts.

- When looking at special education students counted in totals of students not meeting performance expectations, the percentage ranges from 11.1 percent at grade 10 to 18.8 percent at grade 6.

- 91.5 percent of the senior class has passed the Graduation Qualifying Exam. Over half of those not meeting standards are receiving special services.

- As measured by the Mean Norm Curve Equivalent, our students continue to improve as they progress through the educational program.