Question of the Week
Q: What new resources are available from the Kentucky Department of Education and the Office of Assessment and Accountability in relation to COVID-19?
A: The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) updated its website to include many resources related to the impact of Covid-19 on education in Kentucky.
The Office of Assessment and Accountability has added the following resources: Assessment and Accountability webpage:
The FAQ for State Assessments and Accountability document contains the most frequently asked questions about how Covid-19 has impacted state testing and school accountability.
The Impact of Waiver on State Assessments document describes the current status of each assessment program with directions for next steps to be completed by District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) or Building Assessment Coordinators (BACs).
The Resources for Parents resource includes a compilation of educational resources for state assessment programs, which are available from the Kentucky Department of Education, testing vendors and other educational sources.
In addition to these resources, OAA will continue to provide timely updates through the Monday and Special DAC Emails. Additionally, Division of Assessment and Accountability (DAAS) consultants are available by phone at 502-564-4394 or by email to assist with any questions or concerns.
ACT Testing Update
KDE continues to work with representatives from ACT to provide additional options for state provided ACT testing. KDE is trying to secure another ACT test date (possibly this fall) for current juniors who did not test due to absence or school closure on March 10, 2020 (Initial Test Date) and accommodated students who were unable to complete testing. Additional information will be provided when details are finalized.
ACT National Testing Options – Fee Waivers
The move to a fall administration for current juniors may impact students’ ability to meet early college admission deadlines. At this point, ACT has scheduled National Test Events on June 13 and July 18. For students who qualify, ACT offers a fee waiver program. Eligibility Requirements for ACT Fee Waiver.
Each student who receives an ACT Fee Waiver must meet ALL eligibility requirements:
1. Be currently enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade.
2. Be testing in the United States, US territories, or Puerto Rico.
3. Meet one or more of the indicators of economic need listed below:
- Enrolled in a federal free or reduced-price lunch program at school, based on US Department of Agriculture (USDA) income levels (see table).
- Enrolled in a program for the economically disadvantaged (for example, a federally funded program such as GEAR UP or Upward Bound). Note: If the student participates in a program, but is not economically disadvantaged, they are not eligible for a fee waiver. • Resides in a foster home, is a ward of the state, or is homeless.
- Family receives low-income public assistance or lives in federally subsidized public housing.
- Family’s total annual income is at or below USDA levels for free or reduced-price lunches on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website.
For more information on the Fee Waiver Program and how to apply, please visit ACT Fee Wavier Program. Students who are applying for the Fee Waiver program should apply online at the ACT Resource page.
Publishing Assessment SCORES IN INFINITE CAMPUS (IC)
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) strives to publish student results data in IC as it becomes available. In this spirit, Career and Technical Education End of Program Assessment (CTE EOP) scores for prior years have been updated to include a percent score and will be imported into the State Edition of Campus. This will allow CTE EOP scores to appear on KDE’s official eTranscripts.
KDE will publish these scores and an updated CTE End of Program Assessments template to all districts beginning on April 1, 2020.
Please email Kim Walters with any questions on this matter.
WIDA Website Communications on COVID-19
WIDA expresses its support for educators and the language learning community in these challenging times. We will be communicating updates on our COVID-19 Updates page on the WIDA website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter
ACCESS for ELLs Score Interpretation Resources
ACT Testing Update
ACT National Testing Options – Fee Waivers
Publishing Assessment Score in Infinite Campus
WIDA Website Communications around COVID-19
ACCESS for ELLs Score Interpretation Resources
Please contact WIDA or (866) 276-7735 for ACCESS for ELLs Score Interpretation Resource questions.
Located in Northern Kentucky, Kenton County serves approximately 14,500 students. There are 10 elementary schools, a P-8 Academy, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 8 preschools. The school district also has a choice program for high school students with a partnership with Boone County at the Ignite Institute.
All Kenton County principals and assistant principals participate in monthly meetings to focus on instructional leadership through the lens of curriculum, instruction and assessment (CIA). Each month, the principals gather by level to share what they have observed from classrooms and data, then determine best practices for enhancing instruction and student achievement. This district-wide approach is predicated on leadership’s recognition that high quality daily instruction is the key for improving student achievement.
In CIA meetings principals, district leadership and curriculum coaches have researched tools and strategies to enhance practice within each of the indicators. This work includes a tool and process for non-evaluative classroom visits and feedback on the quality instruction cycle, video exemplars of real classroom instruction within each indicator, and planning guides and resources for teachers to access and use to improve. As a result, principals report significant improvement in student engagement with meaningful work, more frequent formative assessment of student work, and better interaction between teachers and students focused on content and skills.
The district’s focus on becoming a world class school district includes increasing student achievement through a measured approach by improving classroom instruction. Clear progress in statewide summative assessments and college readiness has been made. Several schools across the district have experienced significant growth in achievement, and the percent of students demonstrating college readiness has never been higher.
In addition, Kenton County uses several tools for ongoing assessment to check for skill deficits and to guide instruction. These include, but are not limited to CERT for high schools, common assessments and MAP for elementary and middle schools. The district has a data dashboard to compile student assessments into a format principals can use to gain a clear picture of student progress.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions presented in the article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
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