West Lafayette principal warns new state grading system will hinge on 94% attendance threshold
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Summary
At the April 13 West Lafayette School Board meeting, a junior'high principal explained Indiana's new accountability model and said only about 60'70% of his students currently meet the state'set 94% attendance benchmark, a factor that will affect school rankings though not funding.
Mister Rogers, introduced by the board as the school'level presenter, told trustees the state's newly finalized accountability system ranks each student on a 100'point scale and adds "success indicators" beyond tests and course credit.
"The state expectation is this: you need to attend 94% of the school year," Rogers said, explaining attendance is a binary success indicator that can add or remove small amounts of points from a school's aggregated score. He said the district saw a modest enrollment increase and highlighted arts, athletics and mental'health efforts, but cautioned the attendance rule will affect the school'level grade.
The new framework assigns on'track credit measures for grades 9'10 and diploma'type scoring in grades 11'12, with six possible seals and "plus" rankings for advanced pathways. "Every student gets a grade," Rogers said. "If you're here at all, you're here. And then if you miss all day, you're gone," describing how the district and state treat partial'day attendance for reporting.
Board members asked whether private schools are subject to the same processes, how graduation requirements differ by cohort, and whether Skyward (the district attendance system) communicates accurately to the state. Rogers said the district maintains a more granular internal record and that a Skyward-to'state reporting error had been identified and corrected in the district's internal files; the state record will reflect the correction when annual reports update in June.
Why it matters: Under the new rule, falling below the 94% threshold can cost a school a success indicator point that aggregates into the school's public grade used by families and in school choice contexts. Rogers and board members emphasized that while the grade does not cut state funding, it can shape public perception and the district's improvement planning.
Board reaction and next steps: Trustees suggested the board consider unified messaging to state lawmakers about the metric's fairness and the district's limited control over some drivers of absenteeism. Rogers said staff will continue family outreach, pursue non'punitive attendance incentives, and work with counselors to support students with chronic medical and mental health needs.
The board did not take formal action on the accountability topic at the meeting; members directed administrators to continue parent/counselor outreach and to report back with any recommended board communications with state legislators.
