Latest news with #ILEARN
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Indiana ILEARN scores show continued growth in math — but reading levels stay flat
About 31.2% of Hoosier students in grades 3-8 passed both the math and English sections of ILEARN in 2025, marking a slight improvement from the year before, according to new data. (Getty Images) Indiana students continued to make gains in math this spring, but statewide reading scores remained largely unchanged, according to new ILEARN assessment data released Wednesday. The results, presented at the State Board of Education's monthly meeting in Indianapolis, show that 42.1% of students in grades three through eight scored at or above proficiency in math on the 2025 ILEARN exam, up more than five percentage points since 2021. Proficiency in English/language arts, or ELA, however, held steady at 40.6% — up just 0.1 points from last year and essentially flat over the past four years. Data released by IDOE reported 31.2% of Hoosier students passed both the math and ELA sections of ILEARN. That's also slightly up from last year's spring test results, which showed that 30.8% earned dual passing scores. 'While we are positively moving and improving in math, there is an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts,' said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner. 'It is essential that our schools and parents/families continue to work together and stay laser-focused on increasing student learning and success.' The annual ILEARN assessment is administered digitally by Hoosier schools each spring and serves as Indiana's primary K-8 standardized test. While we are positively moving and improving in math, there is an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts. – Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner Board members expressed greatest concern with reading declines among middle schoolers, which officials said is closely tied to the lingering effects of pandemic-era disruptions. 'Math scores are moving,' Jenner said at Wednesday's board meeting. 'But that adolescent, middle school, ELA period — still struggling.' Seventh-grade ELA scores dropped 3.9% from last year — the sharpest decline of any grade level — while eighth-grade scores fell 1.2%. By contrast, third-grade students, who were in early elementary school during the pandemic and have since received additional literacy support, posted the strongest gains, with a 1.7-% increase since last year. Board member Pat Mapes said he's confident educators are helping middle schoolers make progress, but he emphasized that gaps remain for those students. 'They're going to constantly be catching up,' he said. 'These are our students who intermittently came to school during the pandemic, and we've still not caught up. The skills that they lost during that time — this is kind of just what we're going to see for a while until we can get their skills developed.' Compared to 2024, all grades except third showed math improvement. Eighth-grade students posted the largest year-over-year gain of 3.1%, according to IDOE data. Third grade proficiency dropped nearly a percentage point, however. The 2025 results revealed passing math scores for 51.5% of third graders; 49.2% of fourth graders; 41.5% of fifth graders; 39.7% of sixth graders; 35.9% of seventh graders; and 34.5% of eighth graders. Math proficiency rates have increased in every grade since 2021. Sixth and eighth grades saw the largest jumps — each up 6.7% — followed by seventh grade, up 5.4%, and fourth grade, up 5.5%. Fifth and third graders saw smaller increases of 2.9% and 2.8%, respectively. But ELA performance has been mixed. While third through sixth graders improved slightly compared to 2021, seventh- and eighth-grade students scored lower than they did four years ago. The most notable drop was among seventh graders, whose ELA proficiency fell 3.2% since 2021 and nearly 4 points from last year. The 2025 data showed only 37.8% of seventh graders passed the ELA exam, the lowest passage rate of any grade level. Overall, ELA scores in most grades shifted within just a one-point range compared to 2024. Black students posted the largest year-over-year ELA gains, up 0.9%. Black and Hispanic students additionally had the highest growth in math, with both demographic groups increasing scores by 2%. Students in special education programs also outpaced their general education peers in ELA growth — state data showed a 1.3% boost in performance. Students receiving free or reduced-price meals saw stronger math gains of 1.4%. English learners improved in math but saw a 1.1% decline in ELA after making progress the year prior. The latest ILEARN scores come as the state prepares to roll out a redesigned test format. Beginning in the upcoming 2025–26 school year, all Indiana schools will transition to a 'through-year' assessment model featuring three checkpoint tests and a shortened summative assessment at the school year's end. State leaders said the goal is to provide real-time data and allow earlier intervention for struggling students. Indiana schools get legislative green light to break up ILEARN testing throughout school year The new system was already piloted in more than 1,350 schools, which administered more than 720,000 checkpoint assessments during the 2024–25 academic year. 'The new ILEARN Checkpoints, launching statewide in the upcoming school year, will provide a beginning, middle and end-of-year look at student performance,' Jenner said. 'This will be key to knowing early and often if a student has mastered certain knowledge or skills, or if they may still be struggling, ensuring the student has increased, personalized support.' IDOE officials said they're additionally working to expand both literacy and math interventions statewide. Initiatives include literacy-focused teacher training, targeted reading and math tutoring grants for families, and new screeners to identify struggling students in early grades. New legislation enacted this year — House Enrolled Act 1634 — mandates math screeners for grades K-2 and directs schools to provide targeted support for students not meeting grade-level expectations. 'The literacy and numeracy skills developed in early grades are essential as students begin to explore career options, engage in hands-on learning, and ultimately, make decisions about their next steps after graduation,' Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement. 'While we continue to see students growing in math proficiency, this year's results remind us all of the need to continue our focus in both early and adolescent literacy.' 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Axios
5 days ago
- General
- Axios
ILEARN scores still stagnant, five years post-pandemic
Learning in Indiana's elementary and middle schools continues to stagnate, particularly in reading. Why it matters: Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, scores on statewide tests designed to measure students against grade-level proficiency standards in English and math have yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, according to ILEARN results released this week by the Indiana Department of Education. Learning gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing schools persist, meaning that where a child lives can still have an outsize impact on their education. Between the lines: Scores significantly dropped from 2019 to 2021 — the first year in the pandemic that the test was given — and have stagnated since then. The state has invested heavily in new reading education strategies, trainings and materials, but scores remain flat. By the numbers: Statewide, just 31% of students passed both the English and math portions, meaning they're on track to graduate high school ready for college or a career. Overall, math scores were the bright spot, increasing 1.4 points to 42.1%, while English scores actually dipped by 0.4 points to 40.6% Reality check: Proficiency rates vary widely based on demographic factors — only 13% of Black and 18% of Hispanic students passed both portions, compared to 38% of white students. Students from low-income families were also proficient at lower rates (19%) than their peers who don't qualify for meal assistance (42%). The big picture: Performance on standardized testing is closely tied to socioeconomic and other demographic factors. Once again, districts surrounding Marion County — Brownsburg, Carmel Clay and Zionsville — were among the top-performing in the state. Zoom in: In Marion County, Speedway Schools had the highest scores of traditional districts, with nearly half of students passing both portions and 55% proficiency in English and 61% in math. Franklin, Washington and Perry townships were the only other districts to have more than 25% of students pass both exams. Indianapolis Public Schools, the largest district, posted nearly the same results as last year but in English but small a gain in math. Warren Township had the lowest scores but made one of the biggest gains in English — increasing its proficiency rate more than 2 points over the last year. It also gained more than 4 points in math. What's next: This upcoming school year will be the first that new ILEARN checkpoint exams are administered throughout the year statewide, with a shorter end-of-year assessment.
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- General
- Indianapolis Star
Marion County schools see more increases in math than in English scores
Marion County's 11 traditional public school districts continue to see slight increases overall in the latest ILEARN test scores, a trend they repeated last year as well. The county's results mirror the state's overall trend, where the largest increase from last year's results was seen in math, and the county's English language arts (ELA) scores decreased slightly. Most school districts also remain far from reaching their pre-COVID scores, but a few districts have either slightly surpassed their 2019 scores or are just under them. Beech Grove Schools' math proficiency rate this year was the only district whose score slightly exceeded its 2019 rate. 2025 ILEARN results: See if Indiana students are improving in state standardized testing. The ILEARN serves as the state's accountability test, assessing students in grades 3-8 in English language arts (ELA) and math. It also tests grades 4-6 in science and tests 5th-grade students in social studies. The Marion County district that saw the most improvement compared to last year, Washington Township Schools, gained 2.6 percentage points in ELA and 5.8 percentage points in math. Franklin Township had the largest drop from last year's scores among Marion County schools, with a 5.2 percentage point decrease in ELA and a 1.4 percentage point decrease in math. Speedway Schools continues to be the district that has the highest proficiency rates in both ELA and math. Both Speedway Schools and Franklin Township surpassed the state's average math scores, but only Speedway Schools beat the state's average ELA scores. The county's largest district, Indianapolis Public Schools, increased its math scores by 1.7 percentage points from last year but remained virtually unchanged in its ELA scores. Statewide results showed that math ILEARN scores increased to 42.1% proficient this year compared to 40.7% in 2024. English language arts proficiency scores decreased slightly from 41% in 2024 to now being 40.6%.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
2025 ILEARN reading scores remain flat for 5th straight year while Indiana math scores improve: Find out how your school fared
Indiana ILEARN 2025 results show flat reading scores and rising maths proficiency SAT and ILEARN 2025 results: Indiana's 2025 ILEARN results show continued stagnation in reading proficiency while students made gains in mathematics, according to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). The results, based on spring 2025 testing , indicate that reading scores across grades 3 to 8 have remained largely unchanged for five consecutive years, even after major state-level interventions and funding. The English/Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rate for 2025 stood at 40.6 percent—only 0.1 percentage point higher than in 2021. In contrast, mathematics proficiency rose to 42.1 percent, an increase of 5.2 percentage points since 2021, according to IDOE's official data release. Statewide trends in reading and mathematics The results highlight a notable divergence between student outcomes in ELA and mathematics. While ELA performance showed a minor improvement from 40.5 percent in 2021 to 40.6 percent in 2025, mathematics scores rose more significantly, from 36.9 percent in 2021 to 42.1 percent in 2025. As reported by IDOE, Indiana Governor Mike Braun acknowledged the trend, stating, "While we continue to see students growing in math proficiency, this year's results remind us all of the need to continue our focus in both early and adolescent literacy." According to Indiana Secretary of Education Dr Katie Jenner, there is "an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts." She added that the ILEARN redesign will help provide "a beginning, middle and end-of-year look at student performance," as quoted in an IDOE press release. Local school corporation performance Proficiency levels varied across school corporations. Below is a breakdown of local performance in both ELA and mathematics: School Corporation ELA Proficient % Math Proficient % Sunman-Dearborn 51.50 53.40 South Dearborn 35.70 37.30 Lawrenceburg 38.70 40.70 Rising Sun 38.00 33.50 South Ripley 49.40 56.60 Batesville 46.50 49.00 Milan 32.20 37.70 Jac-Cen-Del 36.70 47.00 Switz. Co. 37.30 34.00 Franklin Co. 36.40 38.30 ILEARN redesign and upcoming changes Indiana has been working since January 2022 to redesign the ILEARN assessment system. In the 2024–2025 academic year, approximately 1,350 schools participated in a pilot version of the new model, which includes three "Checkpoints" during the year and a shortened summative assessment. According to IDOE, these Checkpoints aim to provide real-time data to educators and families, allowing for earlier interventions. The redesigned model will be implemented statewide in the 2025–2026 school year. IDOE stated that "Checkpoints are not punitive and are used to guide student learning." If a student fails to master a standard, additional instruction and intervention will be provided before a retest option is offered. SAT results for Indiana students The state also released SAT results for the 2024–2025 academic year. The SAT serves as the federally mandated high school assessment in Indiana. Around 54.8 percent of Year 11 students met the college-readiness benchmark in evidence-based reading and writing, an increase of 2.7 percentage points over the previous year. Mathematics performance remained nearly unchanged, with 25.4 percent of students meeting the benchmark. Indiana law requires the SAT cut score to match or exceed the national standard, as noted by IDOE in the same release. Government emphasis on foundational skills Governor Braun emphasised the significance of foundational skills in both literacy and numeracy. He stated, "The literacy and numeracy skills developed in early grades are essential as students begin to explore career options, engage in hands-on learning, and ultimately, make decisions about their next steps after graduation," as quoted in the IDOE presentation of the results. All schools across Indiana are expected to transition fully to the redesigned ILEARN model beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
ILEARN scores rising in math for Indiana students, flat in English/language arts
Six Lake County and five Porter County school districts topped the state's ILEARN combined math and English/language arts 31.2% pass rate in results announced Wednesday. Schools administered the Indiana Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN) in the spring. and statewide scores showed improvement in math, while English/language arts remained flat, officials said. 'While we continue to see students growing in math proficiency, this year's results remind us all of the need to continue our focus in both early and adolescent literacy,' said Gov. Mike Braun in a state release from the Department of Education. Statewide, 40.6% of Indiana's students are at or above proficiency standards in ELA, and 42.1% of students are at or above proficiency standards in math. It's up 0.1 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, since 2021, ILEARN's baseline year with lowered scores blamed on the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, math pass rates have increased for all student populations. Still battling an achievement gap, Wednesday's report showed Black students had year-over-year increases in both ELA and math (0.9 and 2 percentage points, respectively) and had the highest percentage point increase of all students in ELA. Also, Black and Hispanic students had the highest year-over-year percentage point increases of all students in math (2 percentage points). Indiana students will take a redesigned ILEARN exam next year spaced over different periods in the school year. It was piloted in more than 1,000 schools last year. The redesigned exam will feature three 'checkpoints' and a shortened summative assessment at the end of the school year. Officials said the checkpoints will provide improved real-time student data to better support learning throughout the year, rather than waiting until the end of the year for results. 'While we are positively moving and improving in math, there is an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts,' said Secretary of Education Katie Jenner. Locally, students in the Duneland School Corp. in Chesterton fared the best with a combined pass rate of 53.6%, more than 20 points above the state pass rate. 'Our students, teachers and families continue to work together in the spirit of student achievement,' said Superintendent Chip Pettit. 'I'm excited to see their hard work paying off. We're also equally proud of the growth students are showing on a year-to-year basis.' Students in the School Town of Munster were close behind with a 53.3% pass rate. Nine Lake County districts improved their combined scores from last year, while three Porter County districts improved scores. Porter-based Discovery Charter School's 36.6% pass rate was the lone charter to eclipse the state pass rate. Four of the 10 local charters posted improved scores over last year. The private Diocese of Gary, with 20 schools, bested the state pass rate with a 40% mark. The state also released the 2025 SAT results, which represent the required high school assessment for federal accountability. Students take the SAT in 11th grade. The state passing score is the same as the national pass rate, per state law. Students who met the evidence-based reading and writing portion of the SAT improved 2.7% with 54.5% meeting the cut score of 480. In math, just 25.4% met the national cut score of 530. ILEARN results for Grades 3-8* English/math pass 2023-24 2024-25 Indiana 30.8% 31.2% Lake County Hanover Central 39% 40.5% River Forest Community 11.4% 9.7% Merrillville Community 18.2% 19.6% Lake Central 39.8% 41.8% Tri-Creek 42.1% 39.8% Lake Ridge New Tech 4.2% 4.9% Crown Point Community 41.1% 46.8% School City of East Chicago 6.7% 7.7% Lake Station Community 9.5% 8.4% Gary Community 3% 3.5% Griffith Public Schools 24.9% 24% School City of Hammond 7.7% 7.5% School Town of Highland 33.6% 33.9% School City of Hobart 30.1% 29.8% School Town of Munster 55.9% 53.3% School City of Whiting 23.3% 24.4% Porter County MSD Boone Township 36.1% 30.5% Duneland School Corp. 54.5% 53.6% East Porter County 39.9% 39.6% Porter Township 36% 39.8% Union Township 55.2% 51.9% Portage Township 20.4% 21.6% Valparaiso Community 51.3% 52.7% Charter schools Charter School of the Dunes 2.9% 4.8% Thea Bowman 6.9% 5.7% Gary Lighthouse 5.9% 6% 21st Century 9.2% 10.8% East Chicago Urban 19.2% 19% Aspire 16.2% 15.5% HAST 13.8% 15.6% Discovery Charter 37.1% 36.6% Steel City 6.7% 4.5% HIAT (Higher Institute) 15.8% 4.4% Diocese of Gary 38.2% 40%
