Kentucky Department of Education

News Release 03-055 -- October 7, 2003

            (FRANKFORT, Ky.) -- Scores from the Kentucky Core Content Tests (KCCT) given to students in the spring of 2003 generally show progress when compared to past-years' data, the Kentucky Department of Education announced today.

            While all trend data is short-term, each subject area and grade level appears to be making progress. The gains are encouraging, particularly in the basic core subject areas.

            "The data from our Core Content tests parallels what we've seen in other academic measures such as CTBS, NAEP and ACT -- slow, steady progress overall," said Kentucky Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit. "As in the past, our elementary schools are the high-achievers, but middle and high schools are not far behind.

"When I look at the specific subject areas, writing scores are particularly interesting. The percentage of novice performers at each grade level has dropped since 2002. Plus, writing scores show the largest gains from 2002 to 2003 in the middle and high school levels and the second-largest in the elementary level. It's an indication that Kentucky's focus on writing -- from the early grades through high school -- is beginning to pay off."

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

            "The slight drop in scores in science and social studies at the high school level is bothersome," he said. "We'll be analyzing the information and working with schools and districts to help them raise those levels.

            "I'm also concerned about those schools with low overall accountability index scores. It's going to be very difficult for schools with low indices to make the kind of progress necessary to reach proficiency by 2014. We'll have a better idea of how those schools are performing at the end of this accountability cycle, but I suspect that many will struggle to progress."

            Preliminary analysis of the achievement gaps between ethnic, socio-economic and disability status groups show that, while gaps still exist, slight progress has been made to bring achievement levels closer.

            "Our elementary schools are ahead of middle and high schools in both raising achievement levels and closing the gaps between specific groups of students," Wilhoit said. "At the elementary level in 2003, nearly every subgroup of students is performing at higher levels than in 2002. We also see some progress in middle and high schools -- particularly in the scores of students with disabilities."