Kentucky Administrative Regulations
Title 703 - EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CABINET - BOARD OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - BUREAU OF LEARNING RESULTS SERVICES
Chapter 5 - Assessment and Accountability
Section 703 KAR 5:270 - Kentucky's Accountability System
Universal Citation: 703 KY Admin Regs Service 5:270
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO: KRS 158.645, 158.6451, 158.6453, 158.6455, 158.649, 160.346, 20 U.S.C. 6311
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 158.6453 requires the Kentucky Board of Education to create and implement a balanced statewide assessment program that measures the achievement of students, schools, and districts; complies with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, 20 U.S.C. secs. 6301 et seq., or its successor; and ensures accountability. KRS 158.6455 requires the Kentucky Board of Education to create an accountability system to classify schools and districts, including a process for annual summative performance evaluations and goals for improvement. This administrative regulation establishes the statewide system of accountability, and meets requirements set forth in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 at 20 U.S.C. 6311.
Section 1. Definitions.
(1) "English learner progress
indicator" means the combination of individual student growth for status and
the difference in school performance for change of English learners toward
English language proficiency. For all other indicators, English learners means
students currently identified and those who continue to be monitored as English
learners.
(2) "Full academic year"
means 100 or more instructional days of student enrollment within the school
year.
(3) "Grade 12 non-graduates"
means all students enrolled in grade 12 at the end of the school year who do
not graduate.
(4) "Graduation rate"
means the percentage of students who enter high school and receive a diploma
based on their cohort in four (4) and five (5) years, adjusting for transfers
in and out, f©migrf©s, and deceased students.
(5) "Indicator performance rating" means one
(1) of five (5) color-coded performance levels on each state indicator that is
determined by combining status and change.
(6) "Individual education program" or "IEP"
means an individual education program as defined in 707 KAR 1:002.
(7) "Local education agency" or "LEA" for the
purposes of this administrative regulation shall mean a local school district
as provided in KRS 160.010 and KRS 160.020 or a charter school board of
directors as provided in KRS 160.1590.
(8) "Overall performance rating" means one
(1) of five (5) color-coded performance levels that aggregates all available
state indicator data that is determined by combining status and
change.
(9) "Postsecondary
readiness" means the attainment of the necessary knowledge, skills, and
dispositions to successfully transition to the next level.
(10) "Proficient" or "proficiency" means
reaching the desired level of knowledge and skills as measured on academic
assessments.
(11) "Quality of
school climate and safety indicator" means the measures of school
environment.
(12) "State assessment
results for reading and mathematics indicator" means the measure of academic
performance for reading and mathematics on state assessments.
(13) "State assessment results for science,
social studies, and writing indicator" means the measure of academic
performance for science, social studies, and writing on state
assessments.
(14) "State indicator"
means a component of the accountability system as defined in KRS 158.6455.
(15) "Value table" means
a set of numbers that are used to attribute scores to different performance
levels.
(16) "Writing" means the
content area that includes on-demand writing, and editing and
mechanics.
Section 2. Kentucky's accountability system that is used to classify schools and LEAs shall include the state indicators of: state assessment results for reading and mathematics; state assessment results for science, social studies, and writing; English learner progress; postsecondary readiness; quality of school climate and safety; and graduation rate.
(1) The state
assessment results for reading and mathematics indicator shall be measured by
student performance on state assessments in reading and mathematics.
(2) The state assessment results for science,
social studies, and writing indicator shall be measured by student performance
on state assessments in science, social studies, and writing.
(3) The English learner progress indicator
shall be measured by student performance on an English proficiency test. The
English learner progress indicator shall be measured based on a growth value
table. Additional tables shall incorporate the federal flexibilities of age
upon entry to U.S. schools, initial English language proficiency level, and
degree of interrupted schooling.
(4) The quality of school climate and safety
indicator shall include perception data from surveys that measure insight to
the school environment.
(5) The
postsecondary readiness indicator shall be measured at high school for students
meeting the following criteria:
(a) Earn a
regular or alternative high school diploma plus grade 12 non-graduates;
and
(b) Achieve academic readiness
or career readiness.
1. A school shall receive
credit for each student demonstrating academic readiness by:
a. Scoring at or above the benchmark score as
determined by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) on the college
admissions examination or college placement examination;
b. Completing a minimum of three (3) hours of
credit in one (1) Kentucky Department of Education approved dual credit course,
and receiving a grade of C or higher;
c. Completing one (1) advanced placement (AP)
course and receiving a score of three (3) or higher on the AP assessment;
or
d. Receiving a score of five (5)
or higher on one (1) examination for an international baccalaureate
course;
e. Scoring at or above the
benchmark on one (1) Cambridge Advanced International examination.
2. A school shall receive credit
for each student demonstrating career readiness by:
a. Scoring at or above the benchmark on
industry certifications as approved by the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board
on an annual basis;
b. Qualifying
for three (3) or more hours of postsecondary articulated credit associated with
a statewide articulation agreement;
c. Completing a minimum of three (3) hours of
credit in one (1) Kentucky Department of Education approved CTE dual credit
course, and receiving a grade of C or higher;
d. Completing a Kentucky Department of
Education approved or labor cabinet-approved apprenticeship; or
e. Successfully completing a Kentucky Board
of Education approved cooperative or internship that is aligned with a
credential or associate degree and which provides a minimum of 300 hours of
on-the-job work experience.
3. Students participating in the alternate
assessment program shall meet criteria based on academic or career alternate
assessment requirements.
(6) The graduation rate indicator shall be
measured for each high school using the four (4)-year and extended five
(5)-year cohort rate. The graduation rate shall be reported for all students
and student groups.
Section 3. Classification of Schools and LEAs in the State Accountability System.
(1) Data shall be included in the
overall performance rating for schools and LEAs for the following state
indicators:
(a) State Assessment Results
(reading and mathematics);
(b)
State Assessment Results (science, social studies, and writing);
(c) English learner progress;
(d) Postsecondary readiness (high
school);
(e) Quality of school
climate and safety; and
(f)
Graduation rate (high school).
(2) Data from individual student performance
on state assessments administered as required in KRS 158.6451 and KRS 158.6453
shall be included in the overall performance rating of each school and LEA.
This data shall include students with disabilities with IEPs who participate in
the alternate assessment program.
(3) Data in the overall performance rating
shall be attributed to grade level spans for schools and LEAs as established in
this subsection.
(a) Elementary schools shall
include data from: state assessment results for reading and mathematics; state
assessment results for science, social studies, and writing; English learner
progress; and quality of school climate and safety.
(b) Middle schools shall include data from:
state assessment results for reading and mathematics; state assessment results
for science, social studies, and writing; English learner progress; and quality
of school climate and safety.
(c)
High schools shall include data from: state assessment results for reading and
mathematics; state assessment results for science, social studies, and writing;
English learner progress; postsecondary readiness; graduation rate; and quality
of school climate and safety.
(d)
LEAs shall include data from: school state assessment results for reading and
mathematics; state assessment results for science, social studies, and writing,
English learner progress; postsecondary readiness; graduation rate; and quality
of school climate and safety.
Section 4. Calculations for Reporting Categories.
(1)
(a) State assessment results for reading and
mathematics shall be rated equally in elementary, middle, and high schools and
LEAs by awarding points as described in subsection (2)(b) of this
section.
(b) State assessment
results for science, social studies, and writing shall be rated equally in
elementary, middle and high schools, and in LEAs by awarding points as
described in subsection (2)(b) of this section.
(2)
(a) For
any content area (reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing)
where data are not available, the data of the remaining content areas shall be
redistributed proportionally across state assessment results state
indicators.
(b) The following value
table shall be used to calculate the points for state assessment results in
reading and mathematics and state assessment results in science, social
studies, and writing:
|
Proficiency |
Points Awarded for |
|
Levels |
Each Percent of Students |
|
Novice |
0 |
|
Apprentice |
.5 |
|
Proficient |
1 |
|
Distinguished |
1.25 |
(3) Progress toward achieving English
proficiency by English learners shall be calculated as follows:
(a) Individual growth shall be compared to
prior year performance on an English proficiency exam.
(b) The exit benchmark and English learner
growth value tables created involving Kentucky educators and advised by
technical experts shall be utilized.
(c) Points for each English learner based on
the English learner growth value table shall be averaged.
(d) The value tables shall be included in the
Every Student Succeeds Act Consolidated State Plan and negotiated with the
United States Department of Education.
(e) Kentucky shall modify the value table and
its use to reflect factors that may impact English learners' progress toward
language proficiency, including age upon entry to U.S. schools, initial English
language proficiency level, and degree of interrupted schooling.
(4) The quality of school climate
and safety indicator shall be rated for elementary, middle, and high schools,
and LEAs as established in this subsection. The Kentucky Board of Education
shall approve the measures of quality of school climate and safety. Data
collected for individual students shall be aggregated to calculate school and
district level scores for climate, safety, and overall climate and safety
indicator.
(5) Postsecondary
readiness shall be calculated by dividing the number of high school graduates
plus grade 12 non-graduates who have met measures of postsecondary readiness by
the total number of graduates plus grade 12 non-graduates. Credit for students
obtaining an industry-recognized certification, licensure, or credential in
specialized career pathways in state and regional high demand sectors as
approved by Kentucky's Workforce Innovation Board is one and one-quarter (1.25)
points. Credit for students obtaining all other readiness indicators is one (1)
point.
(6) Graduation rate is the
percentage of students completing the requirements for a Kentucky high school
diploma compared to the cohort of students beginning in grade 9. The
accountability system shall include a four (4) year cohort rate and an extended
five (5) year cohort rate. Each rate shall be weighted equally.
(7) The indicator performance rating shall be
assigned as follows:
(a) Indicators identified
in Section 3 shall have a rating of very low, low, medium, high, or very high
by school and LEA for status.
(b)
Indicators identified in Section 3 shall have a rating of declined
significantly, declined, maintained, increased, or increased significantly by
school and LEA for change.
(c) Each
state indicator combines status and change and reports an indicator performance
level using a color-coded table.
(8) The indicators for each school and LEA as
identified in Section 3 of this administrative regulation shall contribute to
the overall performance rating of schools and LEAs.
(9) A standard setting process shall be
conducted involving Kentucky educators and advised by technical experts to
recommend very low to very high performance levels for status and declined
significantly to increased significantly for change on each indicator including
state assessment results for reading and mathematics, state assessment results
for science, social studies, and writing, English learner progress,
postsecondary readiness, graduation rate, and quality of school climate and
safety.
(10)
(a) An overall performance rating for
elementary, middle, and high schools shall be reported using a color rating
system to communicate performance of schools, with red being the lowest rating
and blue being the highest rating. Color ratings shall include five (5)
performance levels from highest to lowest: Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and
Red. Performance of schools, LEAs, and state shall be reported by level
(elementary, middle, and high) as applicable. The School Report Card shall
display the color ratings earned for each school, LEA, and state (by level).
|
Overall Accountability Weights |
||||||
|
State Assessment Results (Reading and Mathematics) |
State Assessment Results (Science, Social Studies, and Writing) |
English learner progress |
Quality of School Climate and Safety |
Postsecondary Readiness |
Graduation Rate (4 and 5 year cohort) |
|
|
Elementary Schools |
51 |
40 |
5 |
4 |
-- |
--- |
|
Middle Schools |
46 |
45 |
5 |
4 |
||
|
High Schools |
45 |
20 |
5 |
4 |
20 |
6 |
(b)
The performance on state indicators is combined using the amounts in the
Overall Accountability Weights table to generate an overall
performance.
(c) As a result of the
standard setting process, the committee shall recommend the procedures for
determining indicator and overall performance ratings, combining status and
change and reflecting the indicator weights. The recommendation from the
standards setting committee shall be approved as defined in KRS 158.6455.
(d) Kentucky shall
identify schools to determine required federal designations as defined in KRS 160.346 based on the overall performance of the accountability
system.
(e) If data cannot be
calculated for an indicator, the weights shall be redistributed proportionally
to remaining state indicators that shall be reported for the school or
LEA.
(11) School
accountability indicators shall be assigned as follows:
(a) Students enrolled for a full academic
year shall be included in the calculations for state assessment results for
reading and mathematics, state assessment results for science, social studies,
and writing, English learner progress, quality of school climate and safety,
and postsecondary readiness for a school and LEA.
(b) Graduation rate calculations shall be
based on the students' final enrollment.
(c) Student demographic groups shall have a
minimum of thirty (30) students to be included in school rating
calculations.
(d) In accordance
with KRS 158.6455, schools and districts shall be placed into one (1) of five
(5) color ratings established by a standards-setting process utilizing results
from the first operational administration of assessments. The process shall:
1. Be advised by the Kentucky Department of
Education Technical Advisory Panel; the School Curriculum, Assessment and
Accountability Council; Local Superintendent Advisory Council, and the Office
of Education Accountability; and
2.
Use accepted technical procedures and involve Kentucky school and district
administrators and teachers.
Section 5. Additional Public Reporting Requirements.
(1) The Kentucky Department of
Education shall report disaggregated data for each state indicator of the state
assessment and accountability system.
(2) Progress on long-term and interim goals
shall be reported publicly as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds
Act and submitted in Kentucky's Consolidated State Plan. Goals shall be
developed for every student group, including all students, for academic
achievement in each content area of reading, mathematics, science, social
studies, and writing; graduation rate based on four (4) year and five (5) year
adjusted cohorts; and progress on English proficiency for English
learners.
(3) The goal for academic
achievement operationalizes both the improvement of proficient and
distinguished performance for all students and each student group and the
reduction of achievement gaps as defined in KRS 158.649. Each student group of
ten (10) or more students shall be reported on the School Report Card. The data
shall be suppressed as necessary for reporting to meet the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 158.6453, 158.6455
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Kentucky may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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