Glenda Ritz sent this out this week. It will be interesting to see how much of this actually happens tomorrow.

1. Weekly Message from Superintendent Ritz
February 10, 2015
2014-15 Spring Assessments
On Sunday February 8th, I called for a special State Board of Education meeting. This meeting
will occur on Friday, February 13. I plan to seek additional State Board of Education support
regarding this spring's student assessments as follows:
 Call upon the General Assembly to suspend 2014-15 assessment decisions that are within state
control that impact spring testing time; I will ask to suspend social studies tests at grades 5 and 7
and IREAD at grade 3.
 Call upon the General Assembly for a one-year freeze in accountability grades and a one-year
freeze in assessment links to educator evaluation to alleviate the high stakes consequences of
our new assessment. With increased rigor, increased ISTEP+ testing time and an expected drop
in scores, it is a responsible action to request a "freeze".
It is very important to understand how our ISTEP+ test was developed for this year. At the time
of standards adoption, April 2014, the Department of Education was planning for either a May or
September transition assessment, called College-and-Career Ready Transition Assessment
(CCRTA). The goal of this CCRTA was as a supplement to the already scheduled spring ISTEP.
However, this plan was rejected by USED. Indiana was required to create a fully operational
College and Career Ready assessment for all grade levels, assessing the newly adopted standards
for the 2014-2015 school year.
Thus, all the requirements have brought Indiana to this current reality. An ISTEP+ exam that has
enough items to assess on grade level content of the new academic standards, an ISTEP+ exam
that has items that will build a new vertical scale for which growth can be measured, an ISTEP+
exam which has applied skills items in place to adhere to Indiana statute, and an ISTEP+ exam
where statute requires the release of open-ended questions for the next year's use in working with
students. Finally, the ISTEP+ exam provides ample time for students to feel comfortable
knowing they have enough time to complete the test since it is the first time they are being
assessed on these standards at this level of rigor.
Therefore, at the Department we have sought support from the State Board of Education to
minimize, where possible, some of these impacts. Last week on February 4, the State Board of
Education voted on the following: (see important attachments)
 Allowing the ISTEP practice test to be used as instruction. Guidance 1, Guidance 2
 Extending testing windows for Part 1 Assessment
 Providing local flexibility regarding Algebra 1 ECA for students below grade 9
 Providing flexibility to use Acuity Readiness 3 assessment instructionally
As a reminder practice materials will arrive in schools later next week. Please plan to proceed as
scheduled.
I want to recognize February as Black History month and I wanted to highlight Indiana's role in

2. African American heritage and civil rights such as Indiana's Civil War 28th
USCT Colored
Regiment Battle Flag on display in the rotunda of the Indiana State House. I've also included a
list of Black History resources and events.
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Glenda Ritz, Superintendent of Public Instruction