Guidance for Schools and Districts: 2020-2021 Kentucky Assessment and Accountability (ESSA and Perkins) Frequently Asked Questions

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA), in conjunction with the Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE), released a new frequently asked questions (FAQ) guidance document on March 29.

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Education’s (USED’s) Feb. 22 decision to require states to administer a statewide assessment for the 2020-2021 school year, KDE had already released two COVID-19 guidance documents to assist districts in preparing to administer spring testing, “COVID-19 Participation in Spring 2021 Kentucky State Testing” and “Kentucky Summative Assessment Administration Guidance 2020-2021 School Year.” These were updated March 11 to reflect new federal guidance.

The purpose of the new document, “2020-2021 Kentucky Assessment and Accountability (ESSA and Perkins) Frequently Asked Questions,” is designed to answer common questions regarding USED’s decision and KDE’s guidance. Topics covered include assessments, accountability, CTE end-of-program assessments and public reporting, among other topics.

Guidance may continue to change as the pandemic evolves, as it does, KDE will continue to update assessment guidance and other COVID-19 documents.