Kentucky was one of three states given a thumbs-up from U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Monday for planning the Every Student Succeeds Act.
DeVos also approved plans from Colorado and Arkansas.
At the heart of the plan is a new accountability system that includes multiple indicators such as:
- Student proficiency in the academic areas of reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing.
- A student’s growth toward proficiency in reading and math, and when applicable English language (elementary and middle schools only).
- A combination of graduation rates (four- and five-year) will be used at high school.
- Transition readiness that includes whether a student has attained the knowledge, skills and dispositions to successfully transition to postsecondary education or careers, and when applicable, progress toward English language proficiency.
- Achievement gap closure centers reducing current significant disparities between the performance of student demographic groups.
- Opportunity and access to a rich curriculum beyond math and reading; gifted and talented services and rigorous coursework; and school quality as measured by chronic absenteeism, behavior events and the incidents of restraint and seclusion.
“While Kentucky’s accountability system relies heavily on the results of state assessments, it also incorporates measures of a rich curriculum,” said interim Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis. “That includes the visual and performing arts, health and physical education, cultural studies and/or world language.”
Under the plan, 2017-18 will be a transition year whereby performance on the indicators for which data is available will be used to determine low-performing schools and whether targeted support and improvement or comprehensive support and improvement will be provided.
TSI schools include those where any particular subgroup of students –English-language learners, students in special education, racial or ethnic minorities, or disadvantaged children – are performing significantly lower than their peers.
CSI schools are those in the bottom 5 percent of performers in the state, those where more than a third of students don’t graduate, and those where subgroups of students are chronically underperforming. Under ESSA, Kentucky must set aside at least 7 percent of its Title I funds for school improvement, and allocate that money to districts.
The system will be fully implemented in the 2018-19 school year when performance on all of the indicators will combine and lead to a one to five star designation for a school or district. A school with significant achievement gaps will be disqualified from earning the highest ratings. The system also includes measures that will be reported only to provide a broader view of performance and information that can be used for improvement.
“I am pleased to approve these plans which comply with the requirements of the law,” said DeVos. “I encourage states to use their plans as a starting point, rather than a finish line, to improve outcomes for all students.”
Allowing states more flexibility in how they deliver education to students is at the core of ESSA. Each state crafted a plan that it feels will best offer educational opportunities to meet the needs of the state and its students.
(Photo Betsy DeVos)
By Kentucky Today
