INDIANAPOLIS -- 28 IPS schools received F's in the Indiana Department of Education School Accountability 2016-17 grades report released on Wednesday.
IPS says the grades show some improvement in the number of schools that have increased their performance, but the overall grade for the district remains mostly unchanged for the third year in a row.
"We are proud of all of our schools that have made progress, and believe our underlying strategy is moving us in the the right direction," said a statement released by IPS.
Statewide, nearly 25 percent of schools improved one or more letter grades, according to the IDOE.
"You can't tell all the positive aspects of a school or a district based on one letter grade," said Carrie Cline Black of IPS. "We go into those schools, and we try to find the story behind the numbers, because there's always a story: talking with the teachers, the administrators, the students to figure out what's going on, and then putting together a comprehensive plan."
Schools receiving an A grade increased by close to six percent, and overall 62 percent of schools received an A or B.
"I am encouraged by the results of our current accountability grades as an indication of the great education Indiana students are receiving," said Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction.
McCormick says the IDOE will continue to work to make sure all schools are successful and all students are academically prepared for the future.
In the Speedway school district, all but one school was given an A letter grade.
Assistant Superintendent Kyle Trebley said having fewer than 2,000 students is an advantage as there are smaller class sizes.
"We know every one of our students' name in the elementaries, the junior high, and the high school. We believe in relationships, and the letter grade is just one snapshot," said Trebley.
2017 A-F School Accountability Grades. Hit Control F to find your child's school.
