Four big ideas for Kentucky testing

The Prichard Committee blog has launched. The main author will be Susan Weston with contributions from Executive Director Bob Sexton and Associate Executive Director Cindy Heine.

So, let's get this party started with Bob Sexton's views on CATS.


Sexton doesn't specify how, but says he isn't opposed to altering CATS. However, he is "concerned that we make changes at a responsible pace, one that involves educators, allows good design and permits teachers to implement classroom adjustments well, and one that does not jeopardize our federal funding.

In Four Big Ideas for Kentucky Testing, Sexton states,

I believe that the CATS assessment is better for children than an off-the-shelf
norm-referenced test, but I do not think it is the best it can be. Four concepts
seem to me to hold special promise for creating a stronger test and promoting
higher student achievement.

His ideas include:

• aim for balanced assessment
• international benchmarking can help
• end-of-course testing may be the right way to go
• set program standards and monitor implementation

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