Pike Township reports preliminary WIDA (WEDA) gains but cautions results are not yet certified
June 06, 2026 | MSD Pike Township, School Boards, Indiana
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Dr. Gatewood, the district’s English‑learner lead, told the board the data she presented are preliminary and not certified by the Indiana Department of Education. “I have to start out with a disclaimer because this is a public meeting … these results are not certified by IDOE at this time,” she said.
Why it matters: The board is setting performance goals for 2026–27 and much of that work will rely on state test results. WEDA (the WIDA ACCESS assessment) is used locally to track English‑language proficiency and to predict later outcomes on iLearn and the SAT; changes in scoring and cut scores this year mean some statewide results will arrive later than normal.
What the numbers show: Gatewood said roughly 3,000 WIDA/WEDA assessments were administered districtwide across 13 buildings. Of those English‑learner students, about 24% districtwide (elementary + secondary combined) reached a 4.0 or higher on the WEDA scale, and about 70% met their individualized growth targets. She flagged second grade as a bright spot: growth‑target attainment for second graders ranged roughly 75–88% and second‑grade iRead pass rates were reported up about 2.9 percentage points year‑over‑year (46.2% vs. 43.3%).
What staff emphasized: Gatewood explained WEDA is an individualized multi‑year scale — students have up to six years to reach the exit level — and the consortium recently changed its guidance to allow additional evidence review for students scoring 4.3–4.9 rather than waiting for a 5.0. That procedural change can affect local exit counts and must be factored into goal‑setting. Staff repeatedly cautioned that district figures are embargoed and that official, state‑certified accountability numbers will arrive later.
Next steps: Staff will provide school‑level breakdowns, subgroup disaggregation (special education, ELL levels, by classroom) and exit data that Gatewood said her team is pulling. The board asked for benchmarks and for draft hypothetical goals that can be adjusted once certified data arrive in the fall; officers agreed staff should return a refined proposal the board can monitor quarterly.
Provenance: Presentation and discussion led by Dr. Gatewood (topic intro: SEG 1003; topic finish: SEG 1630).
Why it matters: The board is setting performance goals for 2026–27 and much of that work will rely on state test results. WEDA (the WIDA ACCESS assessment) is used locally to track English‑language proficiency and to predict later outcomes on iLearn and the SAT; changes in scoring and cut scores this year mean some statewide results will arrive later than normal.
What the numbers show: Gatewood said roughly 3,000 WIDA/WEDA assessments were administered districtwide across 13 buildings. Of those English‑learner students, about 24% districtwide (elementary + secondary combined) reached a 4.0 or higher on the WEDA scale, and about 70% met their individualized growth targets. She flagged second grade as a bright spot: growth‑target attainment for second graders ranged roughly 75–88% and second‑grade iRead pass rates were reported up about 2.9 percentage points year‑over‑year (46.2% vs. 43.3%).
What staff emphasized: Gatewood explained WEDA is an individualized multi‑year scale — students have up to six years to reach the exit level — and the consortium recently changed its guidance to allow additional evidence review for students scoring 4.3–4.9 rather than waiting for a 5.0. That procedural change can affect local exit counts and must be factored into goal‑setting. Staff repeatedly cautioned that district figures are embargoed and that official, state‑certified accountability numbers will arrive later.
Next steps: Staff will provide school‑level breakdowns, subgroup disaggregation (special education, ELL levels, by classroom) and exit data that Gatewood said her team is pulling. The board asked for benchmarks and for draft hypothetical goals that can be adjusted once certified data arrive in the fall; officers agreed staff should return a refined proposal the board can monitor quarterly.
Provenance: Presentation and discussion led by Dr. Gatewood (topic intro: SEG 1003; topic finish: SEG 1630).
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