"Indiana raised the bar for students by increasing its academic standards to better position our next generation for success after high school. When states transition to new and more rigorous academic standards, a drop in scores is expected. The decline Indiana saw is not unusual or a cause for panic - other states transitioning to new academic standards saw similar or larger reductions in assessment scores. Most important to understand is that the implementation of Indiana's new college and career ready standards raised the academic achievement bar for all Hoosier students, and therefore, these initial test scores are not an indication of student and teacher performance compared to previous years, but an initial assessment of performance to these new, moor rigorous standards," Wiley said.
"While Superintendent (Glenda) Ritz has traveled the state creating panic and anxiety among teachers and parents, as well as suggesting accountability be dismantled entirely, Gov. Pence and the Legislature remain committed to the importance of accountability and have shown true leadership, recognizing the great work teachers have done in guiding our students through this transition," Wiley said.
