Kentucky Alternate Assessment Participation Waiver

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject, using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD), does not exceed 1.0% of the total number of all students in the state who took Kentucky’s alternate assessment. States who anticipate they will exceed 1.0% in alternate assessment participation must submit a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) 90 days before the beginning of the alternate assessment testing window. 

Kentucky’s alternate assessment participation rates for each subject are included in the waivers below. Kentucky submitted a waiver extension request to the U.S. Department of Education on August 7, 2018. Kentucky received approval for the waiver on January 31, 2019. 

• US Department of Education Approval of Kentucky Waiver 2018-19 
• 2018-19 Waiver Request to USED Submitted August 7, 2018 
• 2018-19 Waiver Submission to USED Attachments 
• 2018-19 Waiver Request Addendum Submitted November 1, 2018 
• 2018-19 Waiver Submission November 1 to USED Attachments

• US Department of Education Approval of Kentucky Waiver 2017-18
• 2017-18 Waiver Request to USED Submitted August 7, 2017 
• 2017-18 Waiver Submission to USED Attachments 

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires annually each district to submit a justification when it anticipates testing more than 1.0% of students using the Alternate Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP). Each school year, districts will be required to submit a justification form if the district has over 1.0% of the student population participating in the Alternate K-PREP.

ESSA requires states to publicly post district justifications and assurances annually. Kentucky’s district justifications and assurances for alternate assessment participation are available below.

The KDE, in collaboration with the Alternate Assessment and Diploma Advisory Group (AADAG) and regional special education cooperatives, developed a plan for extensive statewide training, coaching, and support. This training plan is known as the Participation for Alternate Assessment (P4AA) Project. The project included designing and improving guidance and training resources regarding alternate assessment participation. 

A series of five universal training modules are required for all ARC members and are located on the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) Learning Management System (LMS). The purpose of these training modules was to implement the requirements set forth in the ESSA and support districts in the implementation of the Kentucky Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines.

• Guidance for ARCs on Participation Decisions for the Kentucky Alternate Assessment 2018 
• KY Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines Documentation Form 2018
• Parent Guide: Kentucky Alternate Assessment
• Guia Para Padres Alterno K-PREP 2018 (Spanish Version)
• Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines Record Review Document