Can you believe it’s that time of the year again? That short span of time where students are provided the opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do based on their educational experience this past school year. I’m sure by now you are aware that your child will be participating in the state assessment, beginning this week. That’s right, it’s testing time again in the Bluegrass! The state test has changed considerably from what your child has been experiencing in the past. I’d like to devote this column to making you aware of those changes and why they took place.

Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), enacted in the 2009 Kentucky General Assembly, required a new public school assessment program beginning in the 2011-2012 school year.   In response to SB1, the Kentucky Board of Education began working on a new state assessment and accountability system for Kentucky schools. This was no easy task, and continues to be a work in progress in many areas. However, the foundational work has been laid for Kentucky schools to begin using the new system, now referred to as Unbridled Learning, which will begin this school year. These assessments are collectively named the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP) tests. The majority of these assessments will take place within a five-day testing window during the last 14 days of the district’s calendar. However, some assessments, for some students will occur in the fall or throughout the year. Results from the various assessments, given over the course of the school year, will be reported to parents and community members in the fall of 2012.   Along with changes in “how” we will assess what our students know, educators across the state have also had to face many changes in regards to “what” our students must know and be able to do. The rigorous changes in curriculum for English/Language Arts and Mathematics have created a challenge for both students and staff.

Not only has Kentucky testing received a new name, but it has also received a face lift when it comes to what the test will look like. If you’ve had a student of testing age over the past 10 years, the terms multiple choice and open response aren’t new to you. These two types of test items were the basic format used to assess our students under the CATS and KCCT models. With the new system, students will answer questions in various formats, including: multiple choice, short answer and extended responses. Both short answer questions and extended response questions require the student to construct their own answer to a question, while of course multiple choice questions allow them to choose the best or correct answer from a list of possible answer choices.