Parents seeking student scores should contact their local school for information about accessing their student's results. More information on understanding ISTEP+ scores can be found on the ISTEP+ Interpretive Guide, available through the Resources on the ISTEP+ Portal.
ISTEP, or Indiana State Testing for Educational Progress, was created by an act of the legislature in 1987 and now includes math and English tests administered annually in grades 3 to 8. ISTEP science tests are given in fourth and sixth grade, and social studies tests are given in grades five and seven.
Indiana's standardized tests might have gotten so much harder last year that test scores plunged across the state, but two national testing experts say the exam might technically still be too easy according to an earlier study.
All students in grades 3 through 8 and high school sophomores took the ISTEP+ each spring, with language arts and math covered in each test. Additionally, students in grades 4 and 6 were tested in science and 5 and 7 on social studies.
Students who don't pass ISTEP can instead receive a waiver after retaking it every year or fulfill their diploma requirements by completing a graduation pathway, which gives students options such as taking dual credit courses or earning an industry-recognized certification.
The new graduation examination requirement for students who entered high school in 2015-16 (graduating class of 2019) and after is to take and pass the Grade 10 ISTEP+ in English/Language Arts and Mathematics.
It's not that the test itself is getting easier or more difficult, Flores said, because ILEARN will test the same academic standards as ISTEP. But because the new exam will be “computer-adaptive,” the experience will be different for students.
The ISTEP+ exams are a bit tricky for grading because they are graded based on a pattern scale of correctly answered questions and difficulty of questions. The test scores range from 100-400, but each subject matter has differing minimum passing scores.
The purpose of ISTEP+ is to measure student achievement and mastery of Indiana's standards, but in many ways, it detracts from student success and learning. Standardized tests do not inspire a love of learning or encourage students to explore, discover and make connections within the classroom and the world.
ILEARN results are reported in scaled scores that describe each student's location on an achievement continuum ranging from approximately 5060 to 5920 for ELA and 6080 to 6950 for math and using four achievement levels: Below Proficiency, Approaching Proficiency, At Proficiency, and Above Proficiency.
No specific score on the SAT is required to graduate high school with an Indiana diploma unless the student elects to pursue the SAT for graduation pathways.
Following the first administration in Spring 2022, Indiana educators will set cut scores to determine proficiency levels for school accountability. The SAT is not a graduation requirement, though students may use it as they work towards the Postsecondary Ready Competency requirement of their Graduation Pathway.
Students must receive a score of 271 or greater for Mathematics and 244 or greater for English/Language Arts in order to pass the assessment and use these test scores to fulfill graduation requirements.
The Parent Portal, via ISTEP testing vendor Pearson, can be accessed using a standard web browser and visiting results.pearsonaccessnext.com. Adults must sign up for an account, login and enter the student's claim code. You will see your child's score and performance level: Did Not Pass, Pass or Pass+.
The purpose of the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus (ISTEP+) Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus (ISTEP+) program is to measure student achievement in the subject areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science (Grades 4, 6 and 10), and Social Studies (Grades 5 and 7).
446 or greaterSample Items, Scoring, and Reporting IREAD-3 requires a passing score of 446 or greater. IREAD-3 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) define what students know and can do at each proficiency level. Schools are responsible for communicating student test results to parents in a timely manner.