What is the history of the Kentucky Alternate Assessment Project?
The Alternate Assessment was a result of comprehensive Kentucky Education Reform in 1990. As a result of this sweeping legislation the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) was designed. The over-riding goal of CATS is for all schools in Kentucky to reach Proficiency as defined by the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE).
As the reform act was in development, the opportunity to include students with disabilities in all areas of the reform including assessment presented itself. A group of teachers, parents, administrators, university personnel, and educational consultants met with the Kentucky Department of Education and the assessment contractors to formulate the Alternate Assessment Process. “Several formats were researched and discussed. The committee decided the portfolio method would be the best option for showcasing student performance.” A thorough review of the special education literature was conducted and used to develop the rubric dimensions that serve as a scoring guide for the portfolios. As a result of the Reform the Kentucky Alternate Assessment predates the assessment requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997 and No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 which require an alternate assessment be provided as part of each state’s inclusive statewide assessment program.
The process was refined over the years with the assistance of the State Advisory Board in an effort ensure that Kentucky students and programs were held to the highest educational standards. In order to meet current legislation and to align with the CATS test blueprint the process was revised in the 2006-07 school year. These revisions included:
