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158.860 Examination upon completion of core content course.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
As used in this section:
(a) "Core course" means any course offered in the middle grades or high
school grades that is a specific high school graduation requirement or a
course that may be used to fulfill a minimum graduation requirement in
the content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social
studies as specified in administrative regulation promulgated by the
Kentucky Board of Education under the provisions of KRS 156.160; and
(b) "End-of-course examination" or "end-of-course exam" means a test that
measures a student's knowledge and skills upon completion of a core
content course.
The Kentucky Department of Education shall coordinate the development of
end-of-course exams.
(a) The development process shall initially include end-of-course exams for
Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry.
(b) Content teachers in the core courses, postsecondary faculty including
subject matter specialists as well as teacher educators, curriculum
specialists, and other appropriate practitioners shall be involved in the
development and review of items for the exams. Content teachers shall
comprise the majority of the developers and reviewers of the test items.
(c) The department shall ensure that each end-of-course exam:
1.
Aligns with the standards, content, goals, and academic
expectations relevant to the course;
2.
Requires student demonstration of knowledge, comprehension,
application, and higher order cognitive skills;
3.
Provides reliable and valid test items;
4.
Is available to schools in an on-line format if resources are available;
and
5.
Provides individual student scores; test item analyses; aggregate
comparisons of student data at the school, district, and state levels;
and disaggregated data by student subpopulations at the school
district and state levels.
(d) The department shall make available a parallel form for each exam.
(e) The initial end-of-course exam developed as required in paragraph (a) of
this subsection shall be available and piloted in selected school districts
no later than the end of the 2007-2008 school year.
The department may contract for services as deemed necessary to fulfill its
duties under this section.
The Kentucky Department of Education shall conduct a study of the
end-of-course examinations and the processes used during the pilot of the
exams.
(a) Following the initial use of the end-of-course exams in Algebra 1, Algebra
II, and Geometry, the department, with assistance from the developers
identified in subsection (2)(b) of this section, shall determine whether the
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
exams meet the requirements in subsection (2)(c) of this section. The
determination shall be based on an analysis of individual test items,
analyses of student results on the exams, pilot teachers' input, and review
of other data gathered during the pilot year.
(b) The department shall consult with the Education Assessment and
Accountability Review Subcommittee, the National Technical Advisory
Panel on Assessment and Accountability, and the School Curriculum,
Assessment, and Accountability Council regarding the implications for
statewide implementation and shall advise the Kentucky Board of
Education of its findings and recommendations.
(c) Following the consultations and discussions required in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of this subsection, the commissioner of education shall report the
findings of the pilot project and policy options to the Interim Joint
Committee on Education.
End-of-course exams in the pilot period shall not be used as a criterion for
formally evaluating or compensating teachers. Student results may be
discussed during the formative evaluation stage in compliance with KRS
156.557.
The department shall develop the test procedures, including testing
accommodations for students with special needs, retest provisions, reporting
requirements, and other procedures as necessary to implement the provisions
of this section.
A teacher shall use a student's score on any end-of-course exam that is
administered in calculating the student's final grade in accordance with policies
of the local board of education and the school-based decision making council.
The commissioner of education or a designee shall provide a written status
report regarding implementation of this section to the Interim Joint Committee
on Education and the Education Assessment and Accountability Review
Subcommittee by December 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008.
The Kentucky Department of Education and local school districts shall use
end-of-course exams to promote increased student accountability. The
department and local school districts shall also use test results to determine
the need for technical assistance, professional development, and other
resources to improve instruction.
Effective:July 12, 2006
History: Created 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 119, sec. 1, effective July 12, 2006.
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