Kentucky School Testing System

Kentucky School Testing System

The passage of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) in 2009 brings a new assessment and accountability system to Kentucky in the 2011-12 school year. For details on the new system, visit the Unbridled Learning website.

The Kentucky School Testing System is designed to improve teaching and student learning in Kentucky. It includes:

• Kentucky Core Content Tests,
• On-demand writing prompts, 
• Alternate assessments for students with severe to profound disabilities,
• ACT, EXPLORE and PLAN assessments
• Nonacademic components
• Norm referenced tests in reading and mathematics for grades 3-7 (starting in 2009-2010)

Parent Guides to assist Kentucky parents in interpreting the 2010 Individual Student Reports they receive can be seen at the bottom of this website page: http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Administrative+Resources/Testing+and+Reporting+/Kentucky+School+Testing+System/

Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT)

This test is taken by students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11 in the spring of the school year and by students in grade 12 in the fall of the same school year. The table below provides the content areas tested in each grade level.

The reading, mathematics, science, and social studies tests contain multiple-choice and openresponse (essay-like) questions. For the grades 5 and 8 on-demand writing tests, students respond to one of two writing tasks and answer passage-based multiple-choice editing/revising items. For the grade 12 on-demand writing task, students respond to two writing tasks only.

Kentucky Alternate Assessment Program (KAAPS)

This program is an assessment process developed for students with the most severe disabilities and who are not able to participate within the general curriculum, even when they are provided all possible accommodations and assistive supports. Kentucky’s Alternate Assessment Program includes less than 1% of the total tested student population.

Performance Level Descriptions

Summaries of the language used to describe the performance levels of Novice, Apprentice, Proficient, and Distinguished are included on the Individual Student Report. The performance levels are used in reporting student results within the KCCT. The Proficient level is the goal for all students. For more explicit and detailed descriptions it is best to consult the descriptions for each particular grade level and content area. These descriptions can be found on the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) web site at: http://www.education.ky.gov.

You can find more information about Kentucky's assessment calendar at:

http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Administrative+Resources/Testing+and+Reporting+/District+Support/Assessment+Calendar/