KDE releases information on opt-out testing to districts
Kentucky’s public school statewide accountability system depends on the testing of each and every student. Testing all students helps the state and local districts ensure that schools are serving all students and that gaps in categories of students are identified, addressed and closed.
In Kentucky, districts are not permitted to honor a parent’s request to opt out of the Kentucky Academic Standards or statewide testing. There is no authority in state or federal law allowing parents to opt out of the standards or statewide assessment system.
The Kentucky Department of Education has created two communications – one for districts and one for parents – that address opt-out testing. Any further questions regarding opt-out testing may be e-mailed to dacinfo@education.ky.gov.
School Health Professional Development Survey
Deadline April 19
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback from districts, schools and community partners to enhance student achievement and healthy outcomes among students and staff. Through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), professional development, technical assistance, tools and resources will be offered to improve nutrition, physical education and physical activity, management of students with chronic conditions and local infrastructure development.
The information obtained from this needs assessment survey will provide guidance and direction to KDE on essential content, strategies and supports necessary for successful implementation and evaluation related to school health programs and policy.
Please share this survey link with any staff and/or local partners with whom you collaborate to reduce health barriers and improve learning. All responses will be anonymous. However, each survey respondent will enter his/her local school district into a random drawing for a variety of valuable resources.
The survey will be available until April 19. For more information, contact Jim Tackett.
Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) – Final Steps
Districts and schools are required to complete and certify their 2017-2018 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data before April 24. CRDC is a local reporting requirement.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) provided assistance with the initial data load, but each school and district is responsible for verifying data quality and approving its data. As of March 27, 23 districts had completely certified their 2017-2018 data.
To fulfill the CRDC requirement, schools and/or districts must complete the following steps:
- Review data uploaded by KDE and enter/update data as needed.
- Resolve all errors. Warnings do not require action and certification can occur if your submission contains warnings.
- Certify your submission by April 24. Certification instructions are on page 81 of the CRDC Survey Tool User Guide. Once certification is successful, you can download a certification form.
Only superintendents and their authorized users will see the certification selection within the CRDC survey tool. Not all users can certify the local education agency (LEA) data.
Visit the KDE CRDC webpage for information and helpful resources. The webpage provides a description of the updated CRDC State Published ad hoc filters available in Infinite Campus that school and district staff may use to validate their CRDC data. The 2017-2018 CRDC Flat File Specifications document details items districts are required to enter into the CRDC collection system; see the LEA Provides tab and the SCH Provides tab.
The CRDC Partner Support Data Center (PSC) is available to answer questions, help with usernames, update contacts and provide technical support between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (ET). When contacting the PSC, have your seven-digit LEA identifier readily available. Contact the PSC by email or phone at (855) 255-6901.
KDE Seeks Applicants for Standards and Assessment Committee Work
The Kentucky Department of Education is seeking Kentucky educators to help develop assessments that are of the highest quality, accurately measure the Kentucky Academic Standards, and are fair to all test takers.
Creating assessments is a complex process that involves many steps including blueprint development, item writing, bias review and standards setting. The legislatively required assessment review and development committees and advisory panels are part of this important process.
K-12 and postsecondary educators, as well as community stakeholders, interested in participating in the assessment development and review work are needed. A pool of candidates is being gathered for these critical steps and other supporting activities that may occur. Applications are being accepted for each of these activities in reading/writing, mathematics, science and social studies. Educators may select to be considered for a single activity or for all activities.
Applicants will be required to meet in Frankfort or Lexington at least one day; other activities may require multiple days. Some collaborative work may be accomplished virtually. Timeline for activities will vary for the content areas.
Selected team members will receive reimbursement for travel expenses. Substitute teacher expenses will be reimbursed to the teacher’s school district. The online application can be found in this application documents.
Applications will be accepted through April 30. Selected team members will be notified via phone or email. Questions regarding the application process may be sent to dacinfo@education.ky.gov.
ESSA Schoolwide Flexibility
Section 1114(a)(1)(B) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers flexibility for the operation of schoolwide programs in schools that don’t meet the poverty threshold required in Section 1114(a)(1)(A). Typically, this threshold is set at 40 percent. However, flexibility is offered as follows:
“(B) EXCEPTION.—A school that serves an eligible school attendance area in which less than 40 percent of the children are from low-income families, or a school for which less than 40 percent of the children enrolled in the school are from such families, may operate a schoolwide program under this section if the school receives a waiver from the State educational agency to do so, after taking into account how a schoolwide program will best serve the needs of the students in the school served under this part in improving academic achievement and other factors.”
To request this flexibility, a district may apply on behalf of a school. The letter must:
- request the flexibility;
- address how the schoolwide program will best serve the needs of students in the school in improving academic achievement and other factors;
- be written on the district’s letterhead; and
- include the signature of the superintendent or his/her designee.
With approval, there would be additional responsibilities. The school would have to complete the schoolwide diagnostic in eProve, which serves as the schoolwide plan. As outlined in ESSA Section 1114(b)(1)(A), this plan must be developed during a 1-year period, unless the district determines, in consultation with the school, that less time is needed to develop and implement the schoolwide program. Additionally, the school must meet all other requirements under ESSA Section 1114.
Please note, districts that have been approved for this flexibility in the past do not need to request it again and may continue to operate schoolwide programs in those approved schools, as long as they remain eligible for services as outlined in ESSA Section 1113. Those districts must maintain documentation of the original approval.
Flexibility requests and questions may be emailed to David Millanti. Requests also may be mailed to David Millanti, Assistant Director; Division of Consolidated Plans and Audits; 300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor; Frankfort, KY 40601.
KDE’s Best Practices Website Taking Submissions
The Kentucky Department of Education’s Best Practices and Sustainability website is open for submission of best practices from schools and districts.
The website is designed to serve as a clearinghouse to promote practices that motivate, engage and provide measurable results in student learning, achievement and school/district processes. Any aspect of a school system that can impact student outcomes through improved instruction or operations can be submitted as a best practice.
Best practices should be submitted to the Best Practices database by May 1 to be considered for acknowledgement at the Continuous Improvement Summit in September. For additional information, please feel free to contact Natasha Napier.
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