June 8, 2016 // Local

Four Star designation given to diocesan schools

Todays Catholic

The Office of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend announces that seven schools recently received Four Star recognition for 2014-2015 from the Indiana Department of Education, including three high schools and four elementary schools. A total of 287 schools received the award throughout the state.

The diocesan schools receiving recognition are:

Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne

Marian High School, Mishawaka

Saint Joseph High School, South Bend

Queen of Peace School, Mishawaka

St. Joseph School, South Bend

St. Pius X School, Granger

St. Joseph School, Garrett

The general requirements for earning a Four Star designation are that the school earn an “A” accountability rating during the year of the award, meet the 95% student participation rate requirement in testing, and be accredited by the Indiana Department of Education.

In addition to these general requirements, an elementary school must be in the top 25th percentile of schools based on combined passing percentages in English/Language Arts and Math, and also be in the top 25th percentile for percentage of students passing both portions of the ISTEP+.

High Schools must meet the same general requirements, but additionally the 10th grade cohort scores for the ECA English 10 and ECA Algebra 1 are used to create a combined ECA passing percentage. This combined passing percentage must be in the top 25th percentile to be considered a Four Star school.  The percentage of students passing both Algebra 1 and English 10 ECS’s must also be above the 25th percentile.

These seven diocesan schools are to be applauded for meeting the rigorous academic standards on assessments.