State test scores expected soon

Calen McKinney

reporter@cknj.com

Campbellsville School officials are bracing themselves.

State test scores are expected soon from when students took their first exams under a new testing system, a state-mandated overhaul of how school districts are measured.

Instructional Supervisor Kent Settle told Campbellsville School Board members during the Board's regular meeting on Monday that the scores will likely drop, not because of poor performance but because the scoring system has been completely changed.

Changes to the testing system were spelled out in legislation approved in 2009. They didn't go into effect until the 2011-2012 school year.

Settle said teachers have spent about a year with the new system, which is very similar to the requirements of No Child Left Behind.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, the new testing system is called the Unbridled Learning system, which is anchored with the goal that all students become college or career ready by the time they graduate high school.

The new system of tests in the Unbridled Learning system is known as K-PREP, or the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress.

The new assessments will allow educators to see how their students compare to other students on a national level.

Settle said the largest change in testing will be at the high school level. He said reading and math exams have changed and end-of-course exams are now required when students complete a course.

The testing window for students is also now the last 14 days of school.

Schools will receive their results based on a 100-point system in five areas, Settle said, including achievement, gap, growth, college/career readiness and graduation rate.

The achievement area will include scores of novice, apprentice, proficient and distinguished.

The gap component will compare test results of black, Hispanic, Native American, special education, low-income and limited English proficiency students to those students who don't fit into those categories.

For the growth category, student scores will be measured to see if they improve from year to year.

College/career readiness scores will tell how many students are ready for college or a career, based on their test scores and other data.

The graduation rate will report how many students are able to graduate within the typical four years of high school courses.

Settle said schools will need time to adapt to the new system and find out where they are and need to be. He said scores are expected to be released at the end of October or beginning of November.

All Board members attended the meeting.

Academic Spotlight

This month's spotlight focused on Campbellsville Middle School Site-Based Decision Making Council.

CMS Principal David Petett, who serves on the Council, said school enrollment is at about 370 students. It is estimated that next school year could boast 400.

Petett said he believes the CMS culture is its strength. He said teachers, staff and students exemplify the school slogan "It's a great day to be an Eagle."

"They've embodied that," he said. "They've embraced that."

Petett said his goal is to be the best middle school in the state. While he said the school isn't there just yet, effort is being made to improve.

Petett said the school recently received its first set of Think Link scores and will soon see what areas students need more attention.

Overall, Petett said, the atmosphere at CMS is positive.

"Our lunches are good," he said. "Our building is clean."

And the CMS staff members are what keep the school operating so well, he said.

"I'd put them up against anybody."

Council members discussed CMS arts programs, which are increasing in popularity and participation, and said math instruction has become more efficient after some new resources were introduced in classrooms.

Council members said athletic and other extra curricular events at CMS are growing in popularity. The school's first cross country team recently participated in and won its first meet.

Petett said CMS staff and students are excited.

"We're starting to see so many good things," he said. "It's just a whole lot of fun."

Board member Mitch Overstreet said he believes the school's requirement that fifth-grade students participate in band is moving in the right direction.

Petett said there has been some resistance to that requirement, but also some who didn't believe they would like music have thrived in it. And, as a result, he said band participation numbers have tripled.

Also at the Meeting:

• Eagle Family Night was last Friday and Settle said 310 families attended. Settle said parents were given strategies to help their children with reading and math.

• In his monthly report, Superintendent Mike Deaton said wiring has been installed to prepare for the District's Bring Your Own Device initiative.

He said a committee has been formed to create student device policies, which must be in place before students can begin to bring their devices to school.

Deaton said a committee has also been formed to discuss a proposal to reconfigure the District's buildings. He said the proposal has received praise.

Concerns have been discussed about building accommodations, finances, staffing, extra curricular activities and more. He said the group will meet again Oct. 24 to discuss proposed floor plans and creating a survey to get parent input.

"There has been a lot of positive response that we're getting from this," he said. "There is some resistance."

A main concern is students losing their identities, he said. Deaton said he hopes that a good plan can be formulated to address all concerns.

• Campbellsville High School employee Richard Dooley received the Dare to Soar Award. In a nomination form, it was stated that Dooley helps whenever asked and is a true team player.

• The Board accepted $10,896 in state technology assistance funding, which the District will match.

• A position was created for a three-hour part-time instructional assistant at the Campbellsville Eagle Academy. No cost for the instruction was mentioned.

• A memorandum of agreement was approved with Green River Regional Education Cooperative.

• September's academic achievers were announced. The students will be featured in an upcoming issue.

• Finance Director Chris Kidwell presented the District's financial report for September. September revenue was $658,951.80 and expenses totaled $1,344,710.61. The closing balance at the end of September was $1,765,699.19.

• The monthly personnel report includes new employees Kelsi Brown, Campbellsville High School 21st Century after school program; and Joan Leachman, Karen Skaggs and Shannon Taylor, substitute teachers.