Some Marion County schools earned the lowest passing rates on the state’s latest standardized test. And long-standing achievement gaps for low-income students and Black students at some Indianapolis school districts remained far below their peers and the statewide average.

Results published by officials during the Indiana State Board of Education meeting Wednesday confirm the expected drop in scores on the state's ILEARN exam.

Early reports of ILEARN results indicate a significant drop in math and English scores.

Last year, assessments were canceled because of the pandemic, and disruptions continued into this school year, which prompted many officials to expect a decline in student scores.

Some parents of online learners still have lingering concerns about sending their children back to school specifically for in-person standardized tests but the state says most students have already taken their federally required assessments, and there aren't consequences if they don't.

Indiana has extended some testing timelines and is considering others for later spring tests like ILEARN. But so far the state isn't planning to offer remote testing or reduce the number of questions on any state exams.

Hoosier high schoolers will take the SAT starting in the spring of 2022, and scores will be used to evaluate schools' quality.

In a memo sent to superintendents late Friday, the Indiana Department of Education announced Indiana would seek "forgiveness" for required state tests, including the IREAD-3 and ILEARN.

Indiana's state tests have changed half a dozen times for students in the past decade, and with so much on the line, teachers, schools -- and families -- are trying to keep up.

Indiana teachers and schools will be shielded from penalties from last year's poor statewide standardized test scores.