| Indianapolis Schools face the same challenges as | | | | the GQE in order to graduate. This includes students |
| most of the nation's urban schools: lack of resources | | | | with special needs, like autism, who have specialized |
| and funding, high poverty levels, and increasing | | | | individual educational plans (IEPS) to measure their |
| pressure to meet testing standards. The 2001 No | | | | success. Indianapolis Schools' parents and educators |
| Child Left Behind (NCLB) act that required all states | | | | are furious that a child could meet all the |
| to have all students to proficient levels in state tests | | | | requirements of an IEP, bring home great report |
| by 2014 was created to raise national standards and | | | | cards, and still not be issued a diploma. The other |
| demand accountability. No one in Indianapolis Schools | | | | area of controversy is in testing students who do |
| is surprised that meeting those standards is proving | | | | not have English as their primary language. Should |
| to be a challenge. That's the whole point. While | | | | they be denied an Indianapolis Schools' diploma if their |
| educators and parents in Indianapolis Schools are | | | | grasp of core subjects in their native language is |
| divided in their support for NCLB, and testing in | | | | solid? The tests (in every subject) are only given in |
| general, the recent use of waivers for graduation has | | | | English. While this spurs national debate, no one in |
| created more than its expected amount of tension. | | | | Indianapolis Schools really seems comfortable with |
| Here's the issue. Indianapolis Schools, along with all | | | | denying students with disabilities diplomas. But the |
| other public districts in the state, test children using | | | | desire to uphold strict standards has some |
| the Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Practice | | | | Indianapolis Schools' supporters fearful of lowering |
| (ISTEP) exams. In order to graduate, Indianapolis | | | | accountability measures. The Indianapolis Star opinion |
| Schools' seniors must pass the Graduation | | | | cited above expresses concerns that waivers will |
| Qualification Examination (GQE). The students are | | | | "undermine the value of a high school diploma." It |
| given five chances to pass the test, and it is | | | | points out schools like Frankfort where 14% of |
| designed to test mainly eighth and ninth grade | | | | seniors repeatedly failed the exam. The 17% waiver |
| knowledge. Sound reasonable right? That's why a | | | | rate puts Indianapolis Schools three times higher than |
| recent Indianapolis Star editorial blasted Indianapolis | | | | the state average for granting waivers. Indianapolis |
| Schools for what it called, "failing in its job of | | | | Schools need to look at the numbers and determine |
| providing a rigorous education for all students", based | | | | exactly how many waivers are granted for legitimate |
| on reports that 17% of students graduated with | | | | reasons, and how many are just glossing over |
| waivers and had not passed the GQE. The angry | | | | standards. But defining those terms, and coming up |
| responses generated by parents of Indianapolis | | | | with just solutions, is likely to spur more heated |
| Schools' students were surprising. But is the backlash | | | | debate in Indianapolis Schools in the upcoming year. |
| based on anything more than a few miffed moms? | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| Here's the rest of the story. Every single student in | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| Indianapolis Schools is required to take the ISTEP and | | | | private K-12 schools. |