Money alone won't help ISTEP scores

With scores for the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) exam on the rise this year among eighth and 10th graders, school programs to help students pass the ISTEP and graduate are working. \nBut scores for third and sixth graders dropped during the same period. \nOne option available to state legislators is to provide more funds to lower-income schools, which have scored consistently lower than schools in higher-incomes areas. \nBut pouring money into programs that are not focused on helping students from the beginning is not the solution.\nSince last year, when passing the ISTEP was made a requirement for Indiana high school students to graduate, programs have been focused on giving older students the best chance to succeed. Children in the third, sixth and eighth grades are also required to take the exam, but it seems programs are not clearly developed to help these students until they near 10th grade. \nIndiana should not focus more energy and resources on low-income schools that score low on the ISTEP because the money provided to them would not go toward improving exam scores for younger students in the school district. \nGetting the community involved in schools in these poorer areas would be a better solution. Parents and teachers -- not state dollars -- need to be in charge of providing the extra help and individual attention children need.\nFor example, Fairview Elementary School and volunteers from the IU Honors College have teamed up to improve their third graders' reading and learning ability in a Book Buddy program. Each Friday, college students spend time reading and teaching these students for a more personal approach to problems with low ISTEP scores. Although these students still have low ISTEP scores, results showed an increase.\nOther community programs to help students should include getting parents involved in their children's education, either in school or at home. This would provide more individual attention to struggling students. State funding cannot and should not be involved in this venture, because it is a responsibility of the parent and school, not of the state legislature.\nBy constantly asking for state money to improve funding for programs, schools are not taking responsibility for what needs to be done to improve ISTEP scores. The state should not provide more funds to low-income schools until priorities are set not only to help those nearing graduation, but to improve education for children of all ages.\nStaff vote: 8 - 5 - 3