Assessment

Lisa Manor
Director of Curriculum and Assessment

ASSESSMENT

Pendleton County Schools ensure students are achieving at high levels by using both formative and summative assessments to collect student data. This data is used to make instructional decisions based on student needs.

For more information regarding state assessments, please visit KDE's website: https://education.ky.gov/AA/Assessments/Pages/default.aspx

Why give state tests?

State tests, such as the KSA tests, are given to measure how well students have learned content based on academic standards. The test covers the areas of math, reading, writing, social studies and science. The ACT test shows whether students are on course to graduate college-ready. Results from these tests are used to determine where students may need help or accelerated learning opportunities and are also used for school and district accountability. ASSESSMENT CALENDAR

Local Assessment Information

Test	Who	Purpose/Required Use	District Window	Requirement	Dissemination of Results
STAR	K-10 Students in Reading & Math	STAR is a computer adaptive assessment used to assess achievement & growth in reading & math.	August, December, April	District Screener	Immediate
CERT	11th grade students tested in reading, math, social studies, & science.	CERT is an assessment program to help prepare students to reach college readiness.	August, December, March	District Screener	Immediate
Common Unit Assessments	K-12	CUA's are assessments given in the classroom at the end of a unit that allow teachers to assess student progress in the learning and adjust instruction based on the needs of the student.	Up to 6 times per year	District Assessment	Immediate or within 24 hours

State Assessment Information

Test

Who

Purpose/Required Use

State Window

Requirement

Dissemination of Results

ACCESS For ELLs

K-12

Diagnostic test to measure English language acquisition for English Language Learners

January-February

State-Title III, ESSA

Fall

Alternate ACCESS for ELLs

Grades 1-12

Diagnostic test to measure English language acquisition for English Language Learners with significant cognitive disabilities.

January-February

State-Title III, ESSA

Fall

Brigance Kindergarten Screening

Kindergarten

Provides a quick and accurate assessment of a child's development in five areas: Academic/Cognitive, Language, Development, Physical Development, Self-Help and Social-Emotional Development.

Students to be screened no more than 15 calendar days prior to the start of school and no later than the 30th instructional day of the school year.

State (704 KAR 5:070)

Within 7 Days

ACT

11th Grade

Summative college admission assessment to measure students' level of readiness for college in core academic content areas.

March

State (SB 158, Senate Bill 1, 2017)

Summer

Students enrolled in an AP course

Summative assessment by the college board. Students take an end of course exam and , based on their numerical score, maybe awarded college credit for the course.

May

State (SB 158)

Summer

CogAT- Cognitive Abilities Test

4th Grade

Screening assessment intended to estimate students' learned reasoning and problem solving abilities through a battery of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal test items. Used as part of screening for GT Identification

Fall

District Screener (704 KAR 3:285) Program for the Gifted and Talented

Scores available through Gifted & Talented teacher

KSA-Kentucky Summative Assessment

Math: Grades 3-8 and 10th

Reading: Grades 3-8 and 10th

Science: Grades 4th, 7th, 11th

Social Studies: Grades 5th and 8th

Writing: Grades 5th, 8th, and 11th

KSA is a criterion-referenced test developed specifically to measure the Kentucky Academic Standards. Student performance levels (novice, apprentice, proficient and distinguished) are used to describe how well students perform to Kentucky-specific standards.

Last 14 instructional school days of the year.

SB 158

Public Release in the Fall

Tips for Test Success

Know when tests are scheduled and keep up with results.
Don’t schedule appointments, trips or other interruptions during testing.
Encourage your child to review beforehand and do his/her best on testing day.
Remind your child of the importance of reading directions carefully and not rushing through a test.
Review results with your child. Praise success and talk about what can be done for areas in need of improvement
Remind your child about the importance of test scores now and the impact they can have on his or her future.

Testing Transparency

Testing Transparency

Parents’ Right to Know: Testing Transparency

Sections 1112(e)(2)(A)-(B) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires each district receiving Title I, Part A funds notify the parents of each student attending a school receiving Title I, Part A funds of specific information regarding testing transparency. This document includes a summary of these requirements as well as sample language that can be customized by districts and then shared with parents. Please note there are two sections of requirements to demonstrate compliance.

Testing Transparency in General [See ESSA 1112(e)(2)(A)]

ESSA 1112(e)(2)(A) requires the district to notify parents that they may request, and the district will provide, information regarding any state or district policy regarding student participation in any assessment mandated by ESSA 1111(b)(2) and by the state or district, which shall include a policy, procedure or parental right to opt the child out of such assessment, where applicable.

This information can be shared with parents through a variety of means, including but not limited to a letter, posting on the district website, inclusion in a student handbook, etc. The following language can be customized and used by districts to meet this requirement:

Parents have the right to request information regarding any state and district policy regarding student participation in mandatory assessments and the district will provide this information in a timely fashion. Requests for state and Pendleton County Schools assessment policies can be submitted to:

Lisa Manor

District Assessment Coordinator

859-654-6911/lisa.manor@pendleton.kyschools.us

Please note that districts in Kentucky are not permitted to honor a parent’s request to opt-out of statewide testing. Additional information is available in the Testing Opt-out Message.

Testing Transparency: Additional Information [See ESSA 1112(e)(2)(B)

ESSA 1112(e)(2)(B) states that each district shall make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the district’s website and where practicable, on the website of each school served by the district) for each grade served by the district, information on each assessment required by the state to comply with Section 1111 of ESSA, other assessments required by the state, and where such information is available and feasible to report, assessments required districtwide by the district, including:

· The subject matter assessed;

· The purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;

· The source of the requirement for the assessment; and

· here such information is available: The amount of time students will spend taking the assessment, the schedule for the assessment and the time and format for disseminating results.

ESSA requires this information be posted to the district website to demonstrate compliance. Districts may also consider sharing the information through other means to increase the likelihood it is seen by parents and guardians such as posting to the school websites, including in a handbook, sending a letter, etc. The following information regarding the required state assessments can be added to the district’s website.

Beginning in 1990, Kentucky chose to have an all-inclusive assessment system by having all Kentucky public school students participate in annual testing with the results of those assessments included in the state’s accountability system for schools and districts. Kentucky tests students on various subjects beginning in grade 3. On average, administering Kentucky’s state-level assessments takes less than one percent (1%) of the total instructional time in a given school year. The following assessments are required in Kentucky. Please refer to the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Assessments webpage and individual assessment webpages to obtain the appropriate information to share with parents. The test windows for the current school year are available on KDE’s Assessment Support webpage.

· Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) and Alternate KSA

· The ACT

· ACCESS for ELLs

· Common Kindergarten Entry Screener (K SCREEN)

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