With the passage of Senate Bill 1 in the 2009 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is poised at the beginning of a new era in public school assessment and accountability.
Senate Bill 1 addresses many areas – what will be tested, how subjects will be tested, when tests are given, what should comprise the public school accountability system and more. Although the timeline for implementation seems lengthy, there is much work to be done before a new system is complete and in use by the 2011-12 school year.
The Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Board of Education, along with partners such as the Education Professional Standards Board and the Council on Postsecondary Education, already are beginning the work that will lead to a strong, effective system of assessment and accountability that provides valuable information to a wide range of users, from educators and parents to legislators and citizens and more.
Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, each school that enrolls primary students shall use diagnostic assessments and prompts that measure readiness in reading and mathematics for its primary students as determined by the school to be developmentally appropriate. The schools may use commercial products, use products and procedures developed by the district, or develop their own diagnostic procedures. The results shall be used to inform the teachers and parents or guardians of each student’s skill level.
This page is designed to provide information and updates on the work related to Senate Bill 1 with the K-2 assessments.
KDE has developed guidelines for districts to consider when creating or purchasing K-2 diagnostic assessments.
KDE Primary Diagnostic Guidelines