(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Kentucky’s 8th- and 10th-grade public school students participated in a statewide administration of the EXPLORE and PLAN assessments in the fall of 2010, and overall school scores moved up slightly in nearly all subject areas tested.
In the 2010 administration, 48,250 8th-grade Kentucky students in 324 public schools took the EXPLORE assessment. The scoring scale for the assessment is from 1 to 25.
EXPLORE Scores from Fall 2006-2010 Administrations
|
SUBJECT |
AVERAGE SCORES |
|
KENTUCKY |
NATION |
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Norms set in 2005 |
|
English |
13.6 |
13.7 |
13.8 |
14.0 |
13.9 |
|
14.2 |
|
|
Mathematics |
14.2 |
14.4 |
14.6 |
14.9 |
15.2 |
|
15.1 |
|
|
Reading |
13.8 |
13.7 |
13.9 |
14.2 |
14.2 |
|
13.8 |
|
|
Science |
15.8 |
15.8 |
16.0 |
16.1 |
16.3 |
|
15.9 |
|
|
Composite |
14.5 |
14.5 |
14.7 |
14.9 |
15.0 |
|
14.9 |
|
In the 2010 administration, 49,827 10th-grade Kentucky students in 230 public schools took the PLAN assessment. The scoring scale for the assessment is from 1 to 32.
PLAN Scores from Fall 2006-2010 Administrations
|
SUBJECT |
AVERAGE SCORES |
|
KENTUCKY |
NATION |
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Norms set in 2005 |
|
English |
15.6 |
15.3 |
15.9 |
15.8 |
15.7 |
|
16.9 |
|
|
Mathematics |
16.3 |
16.2 |
16.4 |
16.5 |
16.8 |
|
17.4 |
|
|
Reading |
16.0 |
16.1 |
16.0 |
16.2 |
16.4 |
|
16.9 |
|
|
Science |
17.4 |
17.3 |
17.4 |
17.6 |
17.6 |
|
18.2 |
|
|
Composite |
16.4 |
16.3 |
16.6 |
16.7 |
16.7 |
|
17.5 |
|
Unlike most other states, all of Kentucky’s 8th- and 10th-grade public school students participate in EXPLORE and PLAN assessments.
The national normative data for EXPLORE and PLAN are based on students who took all four academic tests within standard time limits as part of a national study conducted in fall 2005.
ACT, Inc. developed College Readiness Benchmarks in English, mathematics, science and reading and applied those to the EXPLORE and PLAN scores. The benchmarks indicate the degree of college readiness of 8th and 10th graders.
The benchmark scores for EXPLORE are:
§ 13 or higher on the English Test
§ 17 or higher on the Mathematics Test
§ 15 or higher on the Reading Test
§ 20 or higher on the Science Test
Percentage of Kentucky 8th-Grade Students Meeting or Exceeding Benchmarks in EXPLORE
|
ENGLISH |
MATHEMATICS |
READING |
SCIENCE |
|
2006 |
54% |
26% |
35% |
11% |
|
2007 |
55% |
27% |
33% |
10% |
|
2008 |
56% |
29% |
35% |
10% |
|
2009 |
59% |
36% |
42% |
14% |
|
2010 |
59% |
32% |
39% |
14% |
The benchmark scores for PLAN are:
§ 15 or higher on the English Test
§ 19 or higher on the Mathematics Test
§ 17 or higher on the Reading Test
§ 21 or higher on the Science Test
Percentage of Kentucky 10th-Grade Students Meeting or Exceeding Benchmarks in PLAN
|
ENGLISH |
MATHEMATICS |
READING |
SCIENCE |
|
2006 |
58% |
23% |
41% |
15% |
|
2007 |
55% |
21% |
40% |
15% |
|
2008 |
61% |
22% |
39% |
16% |
|
2009 |
59% |
23% |
40% |
15% |
|
2010 |
60% |
25% |
43% |
16% |
Scores by ethnicity and gender followed trends similar to those found in other assessments.
2010 EXPLORE Average Scores by Ethnicity and Gender
|
|
ENGLISH |
MATHEMATICS |
READING |
SCIENCE |
COMPOSITE |
|
African American |
11.9 |
13.3 |
12.4 |
14.7 |
13.2 |
|
American Ind./Alas. Native |
13.9 |
14.9 |
14.3 |
16.1 |
14.9 |
|
Caucasian |
14.3 |
15.5 |
14.5 |
16.5 |
15.3 |
|
Asian |
15.8 |
17.7 |
15.9 |
18.4 |
17.1 |
|
Hispanic/Latino |
12.5 |
14.3 |
13.2 |
15.5 |
14.0 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
12.1 |
13.8 |
13.0 |
15.3 |
13.7 |
|
Multiracial |
13.3 |
14.7 |
13.6 |
15.7 |
14.4 |
|
No Response |
13.3 |
14.3 |
13.6 |
15.6 |
14.4 |
|
Males |
13.3 |
15.2 |
13.8 |
16.0 |
14.7 |
|
Females |
14.7 |
15.2 |
14.7 |
16.5 |
15.4 |
2010 PLAN Average Scores by Ethnicity and Gender
|
|
ENGLISH |
MATHEMATICS |
READING |
SCIENCE |
COMPOSITE |
|
African American |
13.3 |
14.7 |
14.2 |
15.7 |
14.6 |
|
American Ind./Alas. Native |
15.5 |
16.3 |
15.7 |
17.3 |
16.4 |
|
Caucasian |
16.1 |
17.1 |
16.8 |
17.8 |
17.1 |
|
Asian |
16.7 |
19.4 |
17.5 |
18.9 |
18.2 |
|
Hispanic/Latino |
14.0 |
15.7 |
15.0 |
16.4 |
15.4 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
16.1 |
17.4 |
17.1 |
18.1 |
17.2 |
|
Multiracial |
15.2 |
16.0 |
15.8 |
17.0 |
16.1 |
|
No Response |
14.8 |
16.2 |
15.9 |
16.9 |
16.1 |
|
Males |
15.1 |
16.8 |
15.9 |
17.5 |
16.5 |
|
Females |
16.3 |
16.8 |
17.0 |
17.6 |
17.1 |
Administration of the EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT assessments, which are provided by ACT, Inc., was mandated by Senate Bill 130 (codified in KRS 158.6453) in the 2006 session of the Kentucky General Assembly. The assessments will help schools focus on meeting academic standards across the entire secondary school program. Scores from the assessments will be helpful in measuring student achievement, gauging their readiness for transition and evaluating school programs.
EXPLORE is a high school readiness examination designed to help 8th graders explore a broad range of options for their future. The exam assesses four subjects (English, mathematics, reading and science) and provides needs assessments and other components to help students plan for high school and beyond.
PLAN helps 10th graders build a solid foundation for future academic and career success and provides information needed to address school districts' high-priority issues. The exam assesses four subjects (English, mathematics, reading and science) and is a predictor of success on the ACT.
Both assessments help schools pinpoint areas of weakness for individual students and schoolwide curriculum and make changes to improve learning. Schools will analyze their individual results to inform decision-making.
State law (KRS 158.6459) mandates that the Individual Learning Plans of students whose scores on EXPLORE and PLAN indicate that they need additional assistance in particular subject areas will incorporate strategies to help them improve their performance.
Senate Bill 1, passed in the 2009 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, requires a high school readiness examination in 8th grade and a college readiness examination in 10th grade. EXPLORE and PLAN, respectively, will be used for these purposes.
See complete details on district and school EXPLORE and PLAN data by visiting the Kentucky Department of Education's Open House portal at http://openhouse.education.ky.gov/ and accessing the Readiness for College and Career section.
##
SUMMARY OF EXPLORE AND PLAN RESULTS
EXPLORE
· Average EXPLORE English scores dropped 0.1 point, from 14.0 in 2009 to 13.9 in 2010.
· Average EXPLORE Mathematics scores increased 0.3 point, from 14.9 in 2009 to 15.2 in 2010.
· Average EXPLORE Reading scores remained at 14.2 in both 2009 and 2010.
· Average EXPLORE Science scores increased 0.2 point, from 16.1 in 2009 to 16.3 in 2010.
· Average EXPLORE Composite scores increased 0.1 point, from 14.9 in 2009 to 15.0 in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 8th graders meeting or exceeding English benchmarks in EXPLORE remained at 59% from 2009 to 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 8th graders meeting or exceeding Mathematics benchmarks in EXPLORE dropped from 36% in 2009 to 32% in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 8th graders meeting or exceeding Reading benchmarks in EXPLORE dropped from 42% in 2009 to 39% in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 8th graders meeting or exceeding Science benchmarks in EXPLORE remained at 14% from 2009 to 2010.
PLAN
· Average PLAN English scores dropped 0.1 point, from 15.8 in 2009 to 15.7 in 2010.
· Average PLAN Mathematics scores increased 0.3 point, from 16.5 in 2009 to 16.8 in 2010.
· Average PLAN Reading scores increased 0.2 point, from 16.2 in 2009 to 16.4 in 2010.
· Average PLAN Science scores remained at 17.6 in both 2009 and 2010.
· Average PLAN Composite scores remained at 16.7 in both 2009 and 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 10th graders meeting or exceeding English benchmarks in PLAN increased from 59% in 2009 to 60% in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 10th graders meeting or exceeding Mathematics benchmarks in PLAN increased from 23% in 2009 to 25% in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 10th graders meeting or exceeding Reading benchmarks in PLAN increased from 40% in 2009 to 43% in 2010.
· The percentages of Kentucky 10th graders meeting or exceeding Science benchmarks in PLAN increased from 15% in 2009 to 16% in 2010.