Kentucky Science Assessment Letter
August 4, 2008
The Honorable Jon Draud
Commissioner of Education
Kentucky Department of Education
500 Mero Street
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Dear Commissioner Draud:
I am pleased to approve Kentucky’s standards and assessment system under Title I of Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). As you know, Kentucky received full approval on December 18, 2007, of the reading/language arts and mathematics elements of its standards and assessment system, and recently submitted for approval evidence regarding its science standards and assessments, as administered in the 2007-08 school year.
Based on input from peer reviewers and Department staff, I have concluded that the evidence submitted demonstrates that Kentucky’s science standards and assessments meet applicable requirements under Title I of the ESEA. Accordingly, Kentucky’s full standards and assessment system, including reading/language arts, mathematics, and science, meets all applicable requirements. Specifically, Kentucky’s system includes academic content standards in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science; student achievement standards in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science; alternate achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science; and assessments and alternate assessments in each of grades 3 through 8 and one grade in high school for reading/language arts and mathematics and in grades 4, 7, and 11 for science.
Accordingly, Kentucky’s system warrants Full Approval with Recommendations. This status means that Kentucky’s standards and assessment system meets all statutory and regulatory requirements for reading/language arts, mathematics, and science; however, one element could be improved for science. In particular, we recommend that Kentucky prepare a plan with a timeline to address alignment issues that emerged from the alignment study of the Kentucky Core Content Tests (KCCT) for science.
Please be aware that approval of Kentucky’s assessment system under NCLB is not a determination that the system complies with Federal civil rights requirements, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Finally, please remember that, if Kentucky makes significant changes to its standards and assessment system, the state must submit information about those changes to the Department for review and approval.
We have found it a pleasure working with your staff on this review. Please accept my congratulations on your State’s approved standards and assessment system under NCLB. I wish you well in your continued efforts to improve student achievement in Kentucky.
Sincerely,
Kerri L. Briggs, Ph.D.
cc: Governor Steve Beshear
Ken Draut
Roger Ervin
