CATS review a good step

This from the News Enterprise:

A task force is being formed by the Kentucky Department of Education to review and determine if changes might be necessary to improve the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System, commonly referred to as CATS.According to Education Commissioner Jon E. Draud, the team is to be made up of representatives from within the higher education system, state legislators from both sides of the political aisle and other experts in the field of instructional assessment and accountability. The task force is to begin its work following the close of the current session of the General Assembly.

CATS was implemented in 1999 as a mechanism to measure and hold public schools across the state accountable for meeting proficiency goals as defined by the Kentucky Board of Education. These goals are set to ensure marked progress is made each year so that Kentucky meets the requirements of No Child Left Behind for proficiency in
reading and math by 2014. To assess individual schools and districts, current components of the system include seven subject areas of the Kentucky Core
Content Test; ACT, PLAN and EXPLORE tests and their alternate tests for students
with disabilities; writing portfolios; as well as dropout, attendance and graduation rates.

In a recent press release announcing the review, Commissioner Draud stated that a major objective for the task force is to “achieve consensus by Democratic and Republican policymakers on the makeup of the assessment and accountability system.” While this goal might be more easily stated than accomplished, bipartisan agreement on the method and measurements related to the education our children receive is paramount to their ability to compete in the future marketplace.

The task force will seek input from district administrators, teachers, parents, business leaders and others. This, too, is important because each group represents stakeholders involved in and benefiting from the continued improvement of the education system in Kentucky.

A system of assessment is important to measure the quality of the education students receive in public schools. In the same way, a period review of the assessment system itself is important to make sure it is appropriate and accurate.

Even more important is to ensure the information and concepts being taught in the classroom and measured by CATS are in alignment with the skill sets kids will need to succeed in the future. Draud’s task force should be a step in the right direction.