ILEARN sees proficiency fall
ASHLEY SLOBODA | The Journal Gazette
Less than 30% of Indiana students in grades 3 through 8 are proficient in English language arts and math, according to standardized test results released Wednesday.
Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner cautioned judgment of ILEARN scores showing 40.5% proficiency in English, 37% proficiency in math and 29% proficiency in both subjects.
“This data cannot be an indictment on anyone, on anything, on any school,” Jenner said. “The reality is all of us had a global pandemic.”
In 2019 – the last year ILEARN was administered – about 47.9% of students were deemed proficient in English and 47.8% in math. Just 37.1% passed both.
SACS board votes to make masks optional
Passes unanimously; remote learning only through eSACS
ASHLEY SLOBODA | The Journal Gazette
Southwest Allen County Schools is planning a year of traditional, in-person classes where masks will be optional for all students and staff.
Masks will only be required on buses per federal order.
The five-member school board unanimously endorsed these and other changes – including welcoming school visitors again – to the district s return to classroom plan Tuesday night.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s revised guidance on mask-wearing in schools wasn t mentioned. The agency said Friday vaccinated teachers and students don t need to wear masks inside school buildings.
Local first graders book wins honor
ASHLEY SLOBODA | The Journal Gazette
Efforts by a Cedarville Elementary School teacher to build confidence in her first graders culminated with a prize in a nationwide contest rewarding student-authored books.
Studentreasures Publishing honored “Super Special Me!” by Karen Augustine s class as a Top 50 book in the 2020-21 National Book Challenge, according to a news release.
The contest was open to more than 60,290 books submitted to Studentreasures for free publishing this past academic year, the release said. Finalists were selected based on originality, storyline and illustrations.
Augustine described their book as a precious keepsake. The students were inspired by how they see themselves and what they want to be when they grow up, the release said.
Four Allen districts meet benchmark
ASHLEY SLOBODA | The Journal Gazette
All four Allen County school districts met the new benchmark meant to encourage schools to spend more state funding on classroom expenditures – and Fort Wayne Community Schools did so with the biggest margin.
State lawmakers set a goal of districts keeping 85% of state dollars in the education fund, or the classroom, after a new school budget structure took effect in 2019.
Kirby Stahly, assistant superintendent of administrative services for East Allen County Schools, explained why the new setup has prompted a need for budget transfers at many districts:
Districts now have two funds – the education fund and the operations fund. Previous budgeting buckets – general, capital projects, transportation and bus replacement funds – were eliminated.
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