(FRANKFORT, KY) – Members of the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Local Superintendents Advisory Council (LSAC) discussed the first draft of proposed amendments to Kentucky’s assessment and accountability regulation presented by KDE staff during the LSAC meeting on July 28.
The KDE Office of Assessment and Accountability – represented by Associate Commissioner Jennifer Stafford and Policy Advisor Jennifer Larkins – presented the proposed revisions to 703 KAR 5:270, which come after the passage of House Bill 257 during the 2026 legislative session. The legislation provides districts with the flexibility to work more closely with their communities to establish priorities for their schools and help ensure all students have access to vibrant learning experiences.
The key regulatory changes under House Bill 257 mean Kentucky will use the individual growth of each student in the accountability system instead of change in accountability indicators from year to year. The bill reduced testing by removing on-demand writing and editing and mechanics from Kentucky’s assessment exams, while chronic absenteeism replaced the quality of school climate and safety indicator.
After gathering input from advisory groups made up of different stakeholders in the education community, KDE proposed amendments to the regulation, which will be discussed by the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) on Aug. 5-6.
The regulation is scheduled for a second read during the KBE meeting on Oct. 7-8 ahead of a public comment period.
LSAC members devoted time to discussing the proposed table to measure growth from year to year, the values assigned within it and whether the chart adequately promotes growth. Members also spent time discussing how much each indicator is weighted in the accountability system, including chronic absenteeism.
Revised Kentucky Academic Standards for Technology
Representatives with the KDE Office of Education Technology presented a revised version of 704 KAR 8:090, the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Technology, for the council’s consideration.
The revisions come as part of the typical academic standards revision cycle, with the last revision to KAS for Technology occurring in 2020.
The standards incorporate grade bands encompassing all of K-12 to provide opportunities for students so they are not waiting until high school to demonstrate competencies in technology, a Kentucky minimum graduation requirement.
Laura Raganas, a digital learning coach for KDE, explained the timeline for how these standards were revised, dating back to September 2025 when KDE sought public comment on the existing standards. Multiple teams of educators were assembled to write and review the standards, opening another round of public comment on the proposal in February 2026.
Raganas said the writers were deliberate about ensuring technology standards were aligned with and could be embedded within the rest of Kentucky’s academic standards, focusing on how students use technology to demonstrate how they understood the content they were taught.
Raganas detailed other updates in the new standards, including how artificial intelligence is embedded within the standards and how the content concept areas within the technology standards continue to support the statewide Portrait of a Learner, which include making sure students are empowered learners, digital citizens, creative communicators and knowledge constructors.
Revised Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies
KDE’s Office of Teaching and Learning presented details on revisions made to the KAS for Social Studies, established in 704 KAR 8:060.
Chrystal Rowland, director of the KDE Division of Academic Program Standards, went over the revisions and the revision process directed by KRS 158.6453.
“The standards writers design social studies standards that give students real opportunities to question, create and collaborate as they think about the future,” Rowland said. “The goal is for students to engage with the social studies disciplinary concepts and practices of civics, economics, geography and history across all grades. The focus is on critical thinking, evaluating sources and communicating clearly so students are prepared for informed civic participation.”
Micki Marinelli, KDE’s chief academic officer, introduced council members to a new, upcoming K-8 curriculum, entitled “Our Commonwealth, Our Nation, Our World.” The curriculum, in partnership with the Core Knowledge Foundation, is being built specifically for Kentucky students and educators and is a high-quality instructional resource that is directly aligned with the KAS for Social Studies.
Marinelli said the curriculum comes as a direct response to feedback from districts and educators for social studies materials that are high-quality, aligned to the standards and don’t require as much local adaptation to Kentucky.
Often shortened to “Our Commonwealth,” the curriculum will integrate civics, economics, geography and history around grade-level themes that build knowledge cumulatively across K-8. The curriculum reflects the KAS for Social Studies design principle that content knowledge and inquiry are inseparable, and that deep knowledge in civics, economics, geography and history strengthens students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary and academic language.
The curriculum, which is optional for districts to implement, will be released in phases: kindergarten and grades 3, 5 and 8 in 2027-2028, followed by grades 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 in 2028-2029. Comprehensive curriculum-based professional learning will accompany each release, including regional in-person summer learning sessions, live virtual follow-ups throughout the academic year and self-paced modules on the KY Learning Hub.
Kentucky’s academic standards resources to help with implementation and district spotlights are available on the KY Standards website.
In other business, LSAC members also recommended approval of:
- An amendment to 701 KAR 5:160, selection and appointment of non-voting Kentucky Board of Education members, to follow House Bill 727 (2026), which requires the non-voting student and teacher members in any given year to represent one of Kentucky’s Supreme Court districts instead of a Congressional district;
- An amendment to 702 KAR 6:090, minimum nutritional standards for foods and beverages available on public school campuses during the school day and required nutrition and physical activity reports;
- Amendments to 780 KAR 3:072, attendance, compensatory time and leave for certified and equivalent service, to include maternity leave as a type of leave under KRS 156.808.
- Updates to policies for the Kentucky School for the Blind and Kentucky School for the Deaf, to policies and procedures for Kentucky’s area technology centers, and to the Kentucky Tech Student Handbook.
Actions taken by LSAC members will be up for consideration during the next KBE meeting Aug. 5-6.
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