Carroll, Delphi, Rossville, and Twin Lakes school corporations scored better in science and social studies than the Comet reported in an Oct. 7 story on ISTEP+ results.

Following a chart on the Department of Education web site, the Comet listed the percent of students who passed in these subjects at each grade level at the four schools. The relevant column on the chart was labeled “percent passed science” and “percent passed social studies.” However, the “percent passed” was not the total percent passed. To get that figure, which was the intention, the “percent passed” had to be added to “percent passed+”.

So what is “pass+”? Students who fit into the category of “pass+” not only passed the tested subject, but passed at an advanced level, with a higher score. For example, according to the 2009 spring state cut-off scores, a student passed the fourth grade ISTEP science test with a score of 463. Any score below that did not pass. Students who scored 535 or better were labeled “pass+”.

The cut-off scores are different for every grade level and every subject area. Grades four and six took the science test, and grades five and seven took the social studies test this spring.

So taking into consideration both the pass and pass+ percentages, the following higher percentages reflect the correct “total percent passing rate” for science and social studies at the schools.

Carroll: Science – fourth grade, 87% passed; sixth grade, 64% passed.

Carroll: Social studies – fifth grade, 70%; seventh grade, 61%.

Delphi: Science – 80% passed; sixth grade, 43% passed.

Delphi: Social studies – fifth grade, 65%; seventh grade, 65%.

Rossville: Science – fourth grade, 74% passed; sixth grade, 80% passed.

Rossville: Social studies – fifth grade, 77%; seventh grade, 73%.

Twin Lakes: Science – fourth grade, 80% passed; sixth grade, 51% passed.

Twin Lakes: Social studies – fifth grade, 69%; seventh grade, 54%.

According to a press release from the state Department of Education, the average statewide pass rate for science was 62%, and social studies was 59%.

The Comet’s figures for math and English are not in question. They were taken from a different state chart, produced by the DOE at the request of the Comet. This chart gave average percent passing rates for all grades tested in each school corporation, for math and for English. In this chart, the percent passed column was already a total. Grades three through eight are tested in both math and English in the ISTEPs.