Kentucky Department of Education

News Release 05-052 -- September 21, 2005

            (FRANKFORT, Ky.) -- Scores from the Kentucky Core Content Tests (KCCT) given to students in the spring of 2005 generally show progress when compared to past-years' data, and seven-year trends show improvements in all subject areas, the Kentucky Department of Education announced today.

            "Accountability indices at nearly every grade level have shown yearly gains over seven years of CATS," said Kentucky Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit. "Some content areas did not show gains compared to previous years, and the instructional challenges associated with maintaining high academic performance may have played a role."

STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY INDICES BY GRADE LEVEL

Elementary

1999   66.5 

2000   68.4

2001   70.9

2002   72.9

2003   76.1

2004   81.5 

2005   81.5

 

Middle

 

1999   64.0 

2000   65.8

2001   67.8

2002   68.7

2003   71.5

2004   74.1 

2005   75.8

 

High

 

1999   63.4 

2000   64.8

2001   66.9

2002   68.4

2003   70.1

2004   73.5 

2005   74.9

 

All Grade Levels

 

1999   64.6 

2000   66.3

2001   68.5

2002   70.0

2003   72.6

2004   76.4 

2005   77.4

                       

These scores represent the first half of the data that will provide accountability judgments for public schools in 2006 under the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS). The information released today includes subject-area scores from the spring 2005 administration of the tests and overall accountability indices for each school and district.

 "Our students' performance in core subject areas such as reading and mathematics shows progress over the years. At all grade levels, the percentages of students performing at the novice level (the lowest of four possible levels) in reading and mathematics have dropped as much as 18 percentage points since 1999."

            Even though most subject and grade levels showed improvement, Wilhoit said he has some concerns about what the data show.

            "Less progress was made in some content areas from the 2003-04 school year to the 2004-05 school year. Although there are instructional challenges involved, the lack of progress can't be ignored.

            "The Kentucky Board of Education has expressed frustration with the persistently low achievement of some of the state's public schools," Wilhoit said. "In all parts of the state, there are pockets of excellence. But, the board is not satisfied. There's an obvious disparity, and the board has directed the Department of Education to step up its efforts to help schools raise achievement. It's critical that all parents and community members look beyond state results and trends to understand how well their own schools are performing."

ELEMENTARY

SUBJECT          1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005

Reading             78.9   79.9  80.7   81.9   83.6   86.8   87.1

Mathematics      57.7   60.5  63.9   66.1   67.7   77.1   74.4

Science              70.2   73.0  77.0   77.4   81.8   87.5   87.6

Social Studies    66.3   67.0  68.5   71.1   74.2   81.8   79.3

Arts &

Humanities         41.3   44.0  44.6   49.3   55.5   58.3   62.8

Practical Living/

Vocational

Studies               69.7   70.0  72.1   73.8    77.4  82.4   84.9

Writing               52.0   54.2  58.7   62.1    68.1  72.3   74.8

Total Academic

Index                  64.4   66.2  68.8    70.9    74.2  80.1  80.0

 

MIDDLE

SUBJECT           1999  2000  2001  2002   2003  2004 2005

Reading              78.1   78.3  80.5    81.4    82.8  85.1  87.0

Mathematics        56.9  59.9  62.4    62.3    65.7  68.1  71.0

Science               61.5  62.3   64.4    67.4    68.4  74.6  74.0

Social Studies     60.9  64.1   67.3    67.7    70.4  74.1  73.5

Arts &

Humanities          57.2  62.6   64.1    64.3    69.4  69.8  76.5

Practical Living/

Vocational

Studies                66.5  66.1   67.8    67.6    70.1  70.2  74.3

Writing                39.2   41.1  43.5    46.3    51.9   54.9  57.3

Total Academic

Index                   59.7   61.7  64.0     65.0    68.1   71.1  73.0

 

HIGH

SUBJECT           1999   2000  2001  2002    2003   2004 2005

Reading              63.6    67.7   68.8    67.8    70.7   73.8  77.5

Mathematics       56.1    57.2   60.7    62.3    64.4   68.6  66.3

Science               59.1   60.5   62.1     64.5    64.0   68.3  69.4

Social Studies     62.3   63.5   64.8     68.2    67.3   73.5  78.1

Arts &

Humanities          48.1   51.4   56.8     62.6    64.7   72.3  70.7

Practical Living/

Vocational

Studies                71.4   73.5   73.6    72.8    75.6   79.2  79.1

Writing                56.1   55.2    59.0   60.1    64.6   65.1  68.3

Total Academic

Index                   59.5    61.1   63.4   65.1    66.9   70.8   72.4

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE TEST OF BASIC SKILLS (CTBS)

Results from the spring 2005 Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) show that Kentucky students are making slow but steady progress in reading, language arts and mathematics. 

            End-of-primary students (3^rd-graders), 6^th-graders and 9^th-graders showed improvement in all three subject areas. Overall, the total battery scores at each grade level moved up from one to two points.

CTBS scores are the Norm Referenced Test (NRT) component of CATS, and those scores are included in accountability indices. The NRT component accounts for five percent of the total accountability index. The indices also include nonacademic indicators -- dropout, attendance, retention and successful transition to adult life rates.

            The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills/5 Survey Edition (CTBS/5) in reading comprehension, language arts and mathematics was administered in April to all students in the end of primary (3^rd), 6^th and 9^th grades.  

            CTBS scores are released as national percentiles. The CTBS/5 was standardized in 1996; therefore, comparisons are made against norms established in that year. Scores from CTBS make up five percent of school and district accountability indices.

            The statewide scores, in national percentiles, for this and previous years are: 

Reading

National Percentiles

                       1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005

EP (3^rd Grade)   51      55     58      59     62      63     65

6^th Grade           52      53     54      55     56      56     58

9^th Grade           51      52     52      54     55      55     56

 

Language

National Percentiles

                        1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005

EP (3^rd Grade)    50      53     55      57     59      61     62

6^th Grade            50      51     51      51     52      52     54

9^th Grade            47      48     49      50     50      51     51

 

Mathematics

National Percentiles

                        1999   2000  2001   2002  2003  2004  2005

EP (3^rd Grade)    51      55      58      60     63      66     67

6^th Grade            49      50      51      52     54      55     57

9^th Grade            46      47      48      49     51      52     53

 

 

Total Battery

National Percentiles

                        1999   2000   2001   2002  2003  2004  2005

EP (3^rd Grade)    52      55      58      60     63       65     67

6^th Grade            50      52      52      53     54       55     57

9^th Grade            48      49      50      51     52       53     54

 

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