In this photo from February, Edgewood Intermediate School teachers participate in a statewide stress test of the ISTEP testing system in the school’s computer lab. As testing time approaches, some teachers in Monroe County and around the area are worried about technical problems with the online test and the effect of so much testing on students. Staff photo by David SNodgress
Area students begin the next round of ISTEP+ testing in the next two weeks, with parents and educators continuing to express concern over the test and preparation time.
“I can hear parents getting the tar and feathers ready,” said Summit Elementary third-grade teacher Ben Strawn.
Strawn said this is the first year he has heard so much backlash from parents, some of whom think teachers are the ones in charge of testing. ISTEP+ and IREAD-3 tests are mandated and regulated by state legislators, who have made multiple changes to standards, test format and length in the past few years.
Two months ago, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence cut the test length by about three hours after it was projected to take 12 hours, or double the time of last year’s test.
While Strawn said he’s not anti-testing, he doesn’t agree with how the current system works.
Schools recently received results from the latest round of IREAD-3 tests, which are also state-mandated and assess reading for third-graders. Students who don’t pass the test the first or second time may be held back the next year in school.
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