Recently there has been a great deal of debate and discussion regarding upcoming changes to the Kentucky testing system and what those changes mean for our kids here in Floyd County. Now that Gov. Beshear has signed those changes into law, I felt it was a good time to speak with you.

First and most importantly, these changes will not alter the fundamental goal of our district: to prepare each and every student for the opportunities they will have after their graduation from high school. Education is and should be about more than testing students. Education is and should be about preparing our kids to be successful and productive members of our communities, states and nation. Here in Floyd County, we see universal student literacy as the primary path to achieving our goal. It is no secret that kids who read at or above grade level and who use language to express themselves well also succeed in other academic areas.

Please understand we are not saying testing is not important or that accountability doesn’t matter. Both are important and both do matter. Our stakeholders deserve information on how we are succeeding or not succeeding with their children and testing and accountability provide that information.

It is important to understand that Kentucky schools will go through a three-year transition period that begins with this assessment year and ends with the 2010-11 school year. Here are some key aspects of the transition:

n For this year our district will assess the areas of Practical Living and Arts and Humanities. These areas have been removed from the formal testing process, but testing this year will allow us to provide valuable feedback to our students plus provide information for the upcoming program reviews.

n Although we do not have all the details concerning program reviews, we anticipate a process where staff members from both the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and our district work together to evaluate a school’s programs in Practical Living, the Arts and Writing.

n Also this year, our teachers and administrators will score Writing Portfolios. We feel it is important to honor both the work of our students and staff in preparing these pieces of writing and to collect information for use during the reviews that will follow.

n We will, also, ask our local board to establish district and school levels goals in the areas not measured during the state assessment. This framework will likely be similar to that used for the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.

Next, I want to discuss what I believe to be the most positive changes in Kentucky’s public school testing. These improvements will begin with the 2011-2012 school year:

n The standards that form the basis for the state test are being narrowed and will be more aligned with what is taught at colleges and universities. This change will help ensure our kids are prepared for post high school opportunities.

n All schools will take the test during the last 14 days of the school year. Thankfully, we have finally “leveled the playing field” for Eastern Kentucky schools. For years the impact of weather in our region resulted in fewer school days for teaching and learning before the state assessment.

n State testing will last no longer than five days. This reduction will allow more time for students to be engaged in meaningful learning activities.

n The data that is collected during the tests will make it easier to compare how our KIDS are doing with students across the nation.

In the Floyd County Schools, we believe that setting goals and then working hard to achieve them is important and that is another thing that will not change.