The Biden Administration has given the green light to state testing this year, meaning students across Kentucky will be expected to complete KPREP in the spring.
The announcement came after months of speculation on whether or not the Biden Administration would extend waivers for state testing like last year because of the pandemic. Doing so would have marked two consecutive years without state data on student proficiency and growth.
While state tests must be administered, the Biden Administration has announced that states may apply for waivers for accountability purposes, meaning test results will not negatively impact the ratings of districts or schools. Instead, the results from this year’s KPREP tests will be used to assess learning loss from the pandemic and determine the effectiveness of virtual and hybrid learning models. The Department of Education has informed states that they will be provided flexibility to shorten and modify state tests as needed, including administering them remotely.
Via the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), here is the blueprint for state testing this spring:
It remains to be seen how remote learners will access their KPREP exams. While KPREP can be delivered remotely, test security concerns may mean students have to physically come to their school building to take the tests. Naturally, more information on this will be forthcoming as districts and schools work to develop their plans for facilitating state testing this year.