2008 Senate Bill 1 (Eliminate Commonwealth Accountability Testing System)

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Introduced by Sen. David L. Williams on February 19, 2008, to eliminate 4th grade writing portfolios and to remove all other writing portfolios from annual assessments. The bill would eliminate CATS and replace it with tests that measure progress of individual students over time. The bill also eliminates open-response test questions from annual assessments. The bill requires reporting of assessment results to school districts and schools within sixty days after testing can begin.
- Referred to the Senate Education Committee on February 19, 2008.
- Reported in the Senate on March 6, 2008, favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules.
- Substitute offered in the Senate on March 6, 2008, to make the implementation date for the changes in assessment 2008-2009, except for any delays that may be necessary to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The substitute also includes on-demand writing assessments one time each within the elementary grades, the middle grades, and the high school grades. The substitute also changes the high school readiness exam to assess English, reading, mathematics, and science from grade 8 to grade 9. The substitute also requires the Kentucky Department of Education to conduct periodic studies comparing the standards in social studies and other areas as deemed appropriate by the Kentucky Board of Education in addition to those currently named.
- The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 7, 2008.
Passed in the Senate (22 to 15) on March 7, 2008, to change the CATS assessment program to one that measures progress of individual students, rather than schools, over time. The bill also eliminates open-response test questions from annual assessments. The bill requires reporting of assessment results to school districts and schools within sixty days after testing can begin. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the House on March 10, 2008.
- Referred to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on March 14, 2008.

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Comments

Introduced by Sen. David L. Williams on February 19, 2008. Passed in the Senate (22 to 15) on March 7, 2008. New Comment

1) CATS is false, anyway [by Anonymous Citizen on April 18, 2008]
My son was in public schools for a few years. He took the CATS test at the end of 2nd grade. He supposedly was reading at an 11th grade reading level. (Which, in my opinion, is impossible).

Now coming out of 5th grade, he just took a test using a real testing system, and his reading level is 8th grade.

Now he didn't lose braincells along the way. That tells me that CATS testing is fundamentally flawed, and explains why in Kentucky, we're now #48, competing for last in education. Go us!

Thanks, teachers unions, you guys do such a great job helping our kids get an education. Oh wait, no, that's lining your pockets that you do well. Well, whatever.

And that's why my kids go to private school now.
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2) CATS test not given to 2nd graders [by Anonymous Citizen on May 5, 2008]
You need to become a little more involved in your child's education it sounds like. The CATS test is not administered at the second grade level. It also does not indicate a reading level other than novice, apprentice, proficient, or distinguished. Your child must have taken an Accellerated Reader STAR test. You should get your facts straight before you run teachers into the ground for your child's difficulties in school.
As far as your movement to private schools goes, it sounds like that might be the best thing for you. Maybe they can take care of all your problems and you'll never have to work with your children at all. The public school system has enough difficult parents to worry about without having to deal with uninformed people like you spouting out a bunch of nonsense.

Second grade teacher

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3) don't worry [by Anonymous Citizen on May 9, 2008]
Don't worry. I took my kid out of the public schools so he could be better educated elsewhere.

My child was put into the classes with the "regular" teachers, because "he didn't need special attention". My frustration is that my son was bored.

This isn't to say that private schools are perfect, either. I was bored throughout my years in private school, as well.

For me, I just wish I could get the tax dollars for it -- since it's still education, just a better one.

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4) I agree [by Anonymous Citizen on April 25, 2008]
You go girl! I agree, thats the same thing with my fourth grader. She knows she made all the right answers, and her school even said this, and it said she got a perfect in everything! It wasn't a typo. They are so strict about things like that.
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5) Classic [by rossh on April 2, 2008]
This is what happens when government treads where it has no constitutionally defined authority to do so. What a rattletrap.
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6) SB 1 [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
This bill is dead for it does not have the support of House Democrat Leadership and Gov. Beshear has pledged to veto the legislation, should it pass in the House. While this bill passed with ease in the State Senate, and I do not know a single teacher that does not support the issue, House Leadership will make sure this bill wil not be discussed or any vote taken on the issue. SB 1 would save the Commonwealth over $18 million. Our budget would welcome those funds.
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7) Anonymous Teacher and Parent [by Anonymous Citizen on March 20, 2008]
The partisan approach to this bill is appalling. Democrats in Kentucky have benfitted from teachers' union support; however when it comes to action, they refuse to listen to individual voices of the classroom teachers. I venture to say that parents and teachers will not forget the sacrificing of our children for political statement at the time of our next election.

As a veteran teacher (13 years in 4th grade) who has supported reform in the past, I must state that the intentions of the reform are not being furthered under the current testing system. The amount of time spent on test taking strategies, memorizing vocabulary and acronymns, and memorization of "formula answers" to open response questions removes all semblance of the authenticity that was originally intended. Further, when the goal becomes doing well on the test rather than individual student progress, it is a disservice to all students.

The writing portfolio has become all about producing a product instead of enriching student communication abilities. Many students leave 4th grade hating to express themselves in writing because of the demand placed on them that they may not developmentally able to meet.

Democrats, please consider children and student learning in your decision making process. Take the word of the majority of professionals who say our testing system is broken. Do not use our children as pawns in a political game. Do what is right for kids!
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8) Majority-YES! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 21, 2008]
The majority of the teachers and parents do think our testing system is broken and the portfolio componant is just plain nonsense. I agree with everything Anonymous Teacher and Parent said...Along with the many other comments below. What happened to continuous progress and celebrating the progress of each child? I can't believe we have let it get so out of hand. I can't believe politicians don't listen. You are so right to say that they benefit from teachers' union support and yet they are definitely not listening to individual teachers. And what's wrong with KEA? Aren't they supposed to speak for teachers and children? They aren't listening either. Don't tell me that our testing system is "better" when we see children getting proficient and distinguished on our state test, but score below the 50th percentile on other assessments-some as low as the 14th percentile. Don't tell me our writing agenda with portfolios is the way to go when our kids get to college and don't know how to write. But we shouldn't look at higher education, should we? Do you really expect us to continue to listen this? It is time to stop playing political games and it's time to stop using our children as pawns. Do the right thing! I don't know about everybody else, but I am watching very closely to see who gets my next vote and I know a LOT of others who are as well (parents, teachers, grandmothers, etc.)
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9) bottom line [by Anonymous Citizen on March 18, 2008]
Bottom line, at my house if I can't afford something we cut back. This state doesn't think that way. If they can't afford something they do an unfunded mandate.

There are good assessments out there that cost so much less. Stop wasting time and money politicians and do something that has the good of the people of this state in mind for a change.
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10) Party vs. Party [by Anonymous Citizen on March 14, 2008]
It is plain and simple that this issue is nothing more than one party against another. I have been a Democrat all my life, but I am trully ASHAMED of the Democrats in Frankfort right now. CATS isn't perfect, nor is SB 1, but at least the Republicans have the God given sense to NEGOTIATE! That's more than we can say for the closed-minded, partisan-acting, self-righteous Democrats. What is so wrong with having test results earlier in the year, with being able to look at individual results, to not spend an excessive amount of the academic year teaching to a test and God forbid save some much needed money? Something must be wrong for ALL the Democrats to vote against it. Oh yeah, it's because this bill was engineered by Republicans. Why is education in the hands of politicians?
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11) Anonymous Teacher and Citizen [by Anonymous Citizen on March 13, 2008]
As a teacher of 12 years, I have seen both the good and the bad that has come from CATS and from the writing portfolio. I have seen teachers stress as they try to conference pieces instead of teaching students and I have also seen portfolios completed successfully in the manner in which the state intended...(Children writing all year and then selecting samples to put into their portfolio so a true assessment of their own ability could be made.) I think at some point, we as educators need to take the responsibility for the dark horse we helped to create. If portfolios had been done correctly from the start, we would not have artificially set the bar so high that it was no longer realistic for students to reach on their own. I think an on-demand writing assessment at every grade level, which determines how students fit on the writing continuum, is the best and truest assessment we can offer our them and our schools. In this way, both the school and the student have measurable data that truly is accurate and determines the success of both the school and the child.
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12) A Music Teacher's Perspective [by Music Teacher Man on March 13, 2008]
My reasons for opposing SB1 was not because I think the CATS is everything we have dreamed of. I believe that more authentic forms of assessment for the arts or any academic area is at the core of a good education. I strongly believe that a good arts education is much more about actually performing and appreciating music rather than being able to answer an open response question about the elements of music. And, not that I can speak for anyone but myself, I would guess that most teachers in Kentucky share my sentiment, not only about the arts, but everything else that is tested.

My problem with the bill is that there is no provision for an authentic measure of a school's arts education, nor is there provision for how a school's arts program plays into the accountability of that school. And, let's not hide our heads in the sand. Strapped school budgets cause school districts to make tough choices about programs, and having no assessment whatsoever for accountability in this area will cause many schools to have no choice to but direct their funds to the "tested" areas. I have had many music teacher colleagues that have met this fate since NCLB, so I KNOW it will happen. And, while change may be on the horizon in that arena, I don't think the tide of holding schools responsible for the education they provide is going to turn anytime soon.

Let's not ignore the facts: Research has proven the value of a strong arts program over and over. Students in high-quality school music programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district. One study showed that students in top-quality music programs scored 22% better in English and 20% better in math than students in deficient music programs. In 2006, SAT takers with coursework/experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts. I would direct your attention to http://www.menc.org/information/advocacy/main.html for more such statistics where you can find the sources of the research.

So, if you really want your kids to learn to do math and science, make sure their school has a quality arts education program. And, the only way in this day and age of assuring that our children are truly getting the BEST arts education they can, and at the same time, the best education all around, is to ensure that there is provision for authentic assessments of the creative and performing arts.
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13) In Response to Music Man [by Anonymous Citizen on March 29, 2008]
I agree that music and the arts are important. I understand and acknowledge that students in high quality music program do very well on standardized testing. However, I do not think that what we are doing in our KY schools today is anywhere near a copy of what research has studied. We are bombarding our students with art facts and music facts and drama vocabulary, but are forgetting the actual appreciation of it all. You don't teach appreciation, you earn it or encourage it through experiences. We can't give children the experiences because of the accountability. That does not involve memorizing facts or composing new music. My goodness, what we expect our 5th grade students to know and do when most of them haven't even memorized the basic multiplication facts. We have got to get a good foundation...a solid foundation in the basics...so children will have he tools necessary to expand in other areas. We are not doing a real good job of anything. We are just hitting and missing in every content area in order to prepare for the "accountability". Children do need music and art. They need to sing and dance and paint and sculpt...not read art content textbooks or music theory or compose music for accountability...not in primary for sure!
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14) Rally for the Children...Great Idea! [by Involved Parent on March 12, 2008]
I am a Democrat and quite concerned and dismayed that this was so adamantly opposed by my party. I feel as though any program can benefit by revisal and critique.
I am a supporter of accountability, of both successful teaching and core content. I am also a supporter or good writing skills. However, I do think that we have gone too far in the testing. I want my child tested to ensure that he has a good academic understanding of important core subjects such as, Math, Reading, Language Arts, and Science. I don’t feel as thought they have be tested on Practical Living, Art and Music. I would much prefer to have my child be able to write a decent essay or book report, and be able to balance a checkbook or understand credit, then be able to quote “the movements of dance”. Come on; let’s stop wasting our time and money on these ridiculous tests and get back to a solid foundation of the core subjects listed above.
With that being said, I believe children need to be exposed to the arts, just not tested at a state level. Some feel that if we don’t test, these programs with cease to be taught in public schools, this is wrong as well. Art, Music and Humanities are to be enjoyed and experienced. If someone chooses to go forth in their education with these subjects, they have plenty of time for testing in high school and college.
After reading some of the comments already posted, I feel so many valid and legitimate points are being brought to light here. Especially about children being taught too fast and not understanding what they have been taught. Repetition is the key to understanding. An old adage goes, “You haven’t taught until the student has learned”.
I implore the “powers that be” to please be open-minded and listen to the teachers on this one. WE ARE TEACHING TO THE TEST AND NOT THE CHILD. The CATS program needs to be revised.

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15) I Agree [by Anonymous Citizen on March 11, 2008]
I so agree with both comments made by "Not Standardized Testing" and "No, it's not authentic" as well as the many others who have made comments against CATS and portfolios. Portfolios are NOT authentic measures of assessment nor are they useful for instruction. Developing portfolio pieces is extremely time consuming and takes so much time away from direct teaching and hands-on learning. Schools are even now requiring Kindergarten students to create published pieces (poems, feature articles, etc.) In most all schools, the required poem has no rhyme or rhythm...yet research shows that the number one predictor of how easily a child learns to read and spell is rhyme. Go figure. Then we wonder why we are having to spend so much money on remediation and reading. That's only one of many reasons that the portfolio development "process is actually harmful and contrary to educational objectives" not to mention developmentally inappropriate. You can't teach everything a child needs to know for the fourth grade test in kindergarten and first grade. Our elementary school children are NOT getting the basics because they are spending too much time on inappropriate activities. That goes for the higher grades as well. My third grade child is expected to learn the same geometry that my high school sophomore is learning in his geometry class. Yet, he hasn't learned his multiplication facts. Why? Some would say that is my fault. But I am telling you that he is getting so much thrown at him that he can't master one thing and get it secure without something else being thrown out. It's getting all jumbled in his head. I support SB 1 wholeheartedly and I know many other people that do also. Anyone interested in a "Rally for the Children"?
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16) NOT STANDARDIZED TESTING! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 10, 2008]
What a lot of parents don't realize is that CATS is not a standardized test! Students in the same grade, same class, right next to each other DO NOT RECIEVE THE SAME TEST! Many times, students get different passages and ORQs to answer. It is completely unfair and random. Then, those students' scores are compared to each other when they may not have had the same questions on the same days.
There is also 27 years of curriculum packed into 13 years of schooling. That is and will always be impossible to meet. That is why are kids are falling far and far behind - they will never "catch up" to a standard that is impossible to reach.
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17) No, it's not authentic [by Anonymous Citizen on March 10, 2008]
CATS is not an authentic form of testing. It is a form of testing that promotes dull, formulaic writing and BS-ing, not knowledge.

Multiple-choice tests exist that require higher-order thinking. Why not use the ACT as the standard assesment device complimented by a few (not the huge number now used) open-response questions and on-demand writing samples? This would produce externally valid results so that KY would have testing data to know how it stacks up alongside other states. Right now we only have data about how one county compares to another: and who really cares? Plus, the students need the ACT anyway if they have any post-secondary aspirations.

There are several proplems that need to be addresed:
1. CATS test scores do not appear on the students' transcripts. Students therefore do not necessarily feel motivated to do their best.
2. CATS tests are only administered in certain grades and do not inform instruction for specific cohorts of students.
3. CATS open-response questions require a huge investment of time and money in order to score them all.
4. CATS is only offered in KY, so the results do not offer any insight into how KY is doing compared to other states or other nations.

Portfolios have one major problem:
They are NOT authentic. Students are writing "persuasive letters" and "feature articles, which are neither academic nor useful. The analytic writing component should be the focus, not a mere potential component. Students should learn how to write for the world beyond high school; that involves research. Sadly, most students go to college without ever having seen an article from an academic journal. In high school, students should see good models of writing and not be required to make laughable attempts at producing a body of decent writing pieces of their own. The reflective pieces are not at all authentic, and nobody writes anything like that outside of high school. Time spent trying to come up with ideas for portfolio pieces, revising them, reading them, etc. could be more effectively spent on content.

In a simple cost-benefit analysis, the CATS tests and porfolios have costs that far outweigh the benefits. A sound argument could even be made that not only do the costs outweigh the benefits but that the process is actually harmful and contrary to educational objectives.

As far as being NBCT, well, that's a nice way of getting Rank I, but it's sympomatic of one of the major problems in the US educational system. A more valuable endeavor would be to actually get a master's in one's content area so that one knows more about the discipline one teaches. In other countries, schools seek to hire teachers who are experts in their fields; not experts in "writing about teaching" or "multiple paths to learning." All this coddling that we do here in the States for our students is what is holding them back and causing our country to slip in international prestige regarding the quality of pre-secondary education.

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18) sir william [by Anonymous Citizen on March 10, 2008]
I think CATS should be changed to T or F. Then the teachers would have to tap one for T or two for F. Teachers aren't supposed to be teaching to the test anyway. so what is problem
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19) Oppose Senate Bill 1 [by Anonymous Citizen on March 9, 2008]
Our Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) is an authentic form of testing. It goes beyond basic recall knowledge and requires students to apply their content knowledge. This is what the real world is about- application and problem solving. The real world is not about recalling arbitrary facts. Preparing our students with 21st Century Skills is vital for them to be competitive in the workforce. With our CATS testing, we require our students to analyze, problem solve and communicate. If we adopt a test like the IOWA, our students will be communicating only through bubbling in answers, instead of justifying their knowledge of the content.
Yes, a feature article all about dolphins is not appropriate. It is not appropriate for the portfolio either; an all about piece does not have a real purpose. Our writing portfolio is important for students. Writing with authentic audiences in mind and having developed purposes is at a higher level of instruction than when I was in school writing book reports and all about research papers. Who writes book reports anymore? In the real world we write reviews for a specific audience and with a real purpose. I worry about the future of our writing programs if the portfolio is removed. Our students will be correcting sentences and writing without knowing the elements of real-world writing.
Our CATS assessment has put Kentucky on the map. Our teaching practice and knowledge base of the content is impressive. I am proud to be a Kentucky National Board Certified Teacher and worry what our education system would look like without CATS. I think we would loose a lot of our high standards and expectations. While our system isn't perfect, it is high quality, well thought out and intentional. It is based on our Program of Studies. I don't think that the IOWA test will be based on our Program of Studies. We will lose our Arts, Practical Living, Music and Drama curriculum. It is sad to say but if it isn't assessed it isn't valued. Here in Kentucky, we educate and assess the WHOLE child. I hope it continues.

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20) Confused! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 8, 2008]
I’m confused! Is this bill about republicans and democrats? I don’t think so. What’s the deal? All but one republican supported this bill and NO democrats. I have proudly been a democrat all my life, but I would just about switch parties over this one. I can’t believe it. We are talking about children here. I expect my democrat “elected” officials to remember that. They can play their “party games” on other issues. Isn’t this wonderful country supposed to be “for the people” (especially for the children)? Apparently our democratic officials have forgotten. I think we have a right to know why ALL democrats voted against this bill.

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21) Tell House Leaders! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 7, 2008]
The overwhelming support for SB 1 in this forum is great, but house leaders also need to hear it. You need to write them at: Harry.Moberly@lrc.ky.gov, and at: Jody.Richards@lrc.ky.gov. To reach Rep. Frank Rasche log on at: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Mailform/H003.htm. Being timid now will mean SB 1 will fail. The house needs to hear all the great comments above.
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22) Sherlock [by Anonymous Citizen on March 7, 2008]
You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that Kentucky's Assessment/Accountability system is a complete failure. I just can't understand why it has taken so long to get to Senator Williams bill - I am just hoping and praying that this will actually pass. I have been a KY educator for 16 years. I am very sad to report that the skills of our students appear to be decreasing every one of those years - which go back to the first year of KERA (Kentucky Education Reform Act). I am angered at the effects of this on my own two children. Yes, changes were needed. The following were my suggestions then and now:

1. REDUCE CLASS SIZE!!! Even if it is just a teacher assistant in EVERY classroom larger that 20 students, we could provide more attention to each student's needs. The 30+ that I currently teach in each middle school class is most certainly NOT conducive to high levels of learning! RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THIS POINT MORE THAT ANY OTHER IN REGARD TO IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING - WHY IS IT SO CONSISTENTLY DISREGARDED? Spend more money on teachers and decrease the enormous waste on educational fads/programs/tests.

2. COMPARE STUDENT TEST SCORES (ON A NATIONALLY STANDARDIZED TEST) ON THE SAME STUDENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. As a science teacher, I have argued all along that it is not valid to compare test scores from year to year (and especially when the test itself has evolved and changed). If you want to hold me, the teacher, accountable, make it for moving that student beyond where they are when they arrive in my classroom - I will GLADLY accept that challenge! BUT HOLD THE STUDENT ACCOUNTABLE BY SETTING BASELINES(MASTERY SCORES THAT ARE MODIFIED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS) TO BE ABLE TO PROGRESS FROM LOWER TO HIGHER ELEMENTARY GRADES (2ND GRADE INTO 3RD GRADE), FROM ELEMETARY TO MIDDLE GRADES (5TH GRADE INTO 6TH GRADE), FROM MIDDLE GRADES TO HIGH SCHOOL (8TH GRADE INTO 9TH GRADE), AND AS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. And don't penalize the teachers/schools for holding students back that do not have the SKILLS to be successful at the next level!!! After all, isn't that the problem? Our students leave high school without the skills to function in society, or at college?

I really could go on and on about this topic, but I would be estatic if just the two things I mentioned could happen in the next 10-15 years of my teaching career (And I do love what I do - I teach young people what I hope will add value in their lives, not what is on a test). I just wish that the politicians would remember that teachers DO KNOW and WANT what is best for students. The best proof of that would be to poll ALL teachers in the state of Kentucky to find out if they want to continue KCCT testing and portfolios. Unfortunately, I fear that most politicians (who got us into this mess in the first place)are too blind, too egotistical, or too uncaring to make that kind of courageous move. As far as I am concerned, IT IS ELEMENTARY MY DEAR Watson to get rid of KCCT testing and portfolios. I would LOVE to spend the money that testing costs (much of it going out of state) on purchasing the textbooks that our budget says we won't have next year!!!
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23) CATS BE GONE!!! [by MarciaD1224 on March 11, 2008]
I totally agree with you Dear Watson! CATS should have been removed from the school system years ago. The money that the State has paid out on all this testing could have been used to purchase school books that are so desperately needed in the classrooms. The way I see it, is when the State changed not only the testing, but brought in KERA, that is when our students began falling behind in the "learning process". I have worked with many high school students in the past with their "portfoilio's", and the "spelling/grammer/punctuation" was atrosious! More than half of the high school students do not know how to spell, and even more so, the elementary students! When my daughter was in elementary school years ago, (in Jefferson Co.) I met with the teacher's and was told by one, that she did not correct the mis-spelled words of the student's, and I was given an example: She said she had the students to write a report on their Summer break, and a little boy said he went to Georgia, and instead of him spelling it, "Georgia", he spelled it: "JORJA", and naturally, my response was, the little boy is going to grow up believing "JORJA" is the correct way to spell "Georgia", because you never corrected him! Her response, was..."Well, I knew what he meant and that's why I didn't correct him."
This is a prime example of our teaching in the classroom, and that was over 14 years ago, and I'm sad to say, that NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN! In my opinion, I believe that KY Schools need to get back to the basics of "Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic!" and provide the students in the classrooms with textbooks! USE THAT KY LOTTERY MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO FOR EDUCATION, AND STOP PADDING POCKETS WITH THE UNUSED MONEY!!! Oh and one more thing...My education I received over 30 years ago didn't hurt me any! At least I was well educated and had textbooks to bring home and study, and not just a "worksheet!"
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24) I agree [by KyEducator on March 7, 2008]
I am a teacher in the KCTCS system......the hands-on skils part. Our students need to acquire skills and knowlege necessary for industry. Industry....meaning manufacturing. So they need critical thinking and math skills.....along with the hands-on skills. Our lesson plans contain Condition.....Task.....&....Standard. A little different than what you might find in a lesson plan in a Middle School. I have been in the system now for 17 years and have noticed the steady decline in the abilities of many of the students entering to pursue a Technical Program such as Mechanical Drafting....Machine Tool,,,,,Electronics. They don't read technical material very well. They can't understand written instruction on their own. They have never used ratio & proportion. Higher math skills are mostly out of the question.
The problems with this poor preparation is a direct cause and blame on the high schools that graduate these students WITHOUT basic skills.
Bringing testing to a national standard would be a great improvement. I think you're cheating and being dishonest to a student to allow him/her to graduate without basic skills. All should remember this.....Industry is not "DUMBING DOWN" the workplace. They simply go to another State!
Manufacturing recognizes NOCTI which is a National written test with a hands-on component. Grades & diplomas mean NOTHING to industry.....they need to know if you can actually perform the task. What standard is CATS??? Compared to what??? That's enough for me to say. All teachers in the Kentucky system should go visit the colleges and actually see if your students can handle the work. Get to know some of the Human Resources people in an industry near you and see if your students could stack up. Not everybody wants to work at McDonald's or Wall-Mart.
The truth hurts doesn't it....
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25) Get rid of CATS!!!!! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 5, 2008]
First of all, it is about time!

REFORM is NOT A GOOD THING IF IT DOESN'T BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS!!! I FEEL THAT THE CATS TEST IS NOT AN IMPROVEMENT when compared to the assessment measures that I had as a student in Kentucky from the mid 1970's and throughout the 1980's. We took the CTBS test every year, so test scores could be compared from one year to the next.

I know that a great deal of money has been spent on KERA, but I feel like kids today have MORE trouble reading with fluency and comprehension, more difficulties with grammar, and more problems with mathematical calculations and understanding than students did twenty years ago. Have our reform measures really made improvements? I honestly feel like so much money has been put into open response questions, portfolios, and other aspects of this CATS testing system that no one wants to admit that such a costly mistake in the system has been made. If a mistake has been made, then we just need to correct it, so we can do what is best for the students.

I think a totally multiple choice test would be a much more objective and RELIABLE measure of what our students know that open response questions and portfolios. IF SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PROGRESS OF STUDENTS, then THERE SHOULD BE A MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST! No matter what type of rubric is used, there has to be some degree of human error when grading written responses (as with open responses and portfolios) no matter how accurate they try to be.

Plus, with the current testing system, they are comparing this year's students to last year's---how is that scientifically valid? Educators should have had classes in tests and measurements-- I think we should all know better than to compare this year's students with last year's students. We should use a test that allows us to compare how an individual child does from one year to the next in each subject area so we can track his/her progress.

Plus, with the budget problems we are having, it would seem that money would be saved by having a fully multiple choice testing system in place, instead of spending money paying people to score those open responses. Think of how helpful that money would be if we could use it to buy MATERIALS FOR OUR TEACHERS TO TEACH WITH AS OPPOSED TO PAYING THE COST OF HAVING THOSE WRITTEN RESPONSES SCORED.

It would be wonderful to have a test that identified problems with language mechanics. It would be wonderful to have a test that assessed a student's skills in mathematical calculations and understanding, instead of what the calculator can do. It would be wonderful to have a test that shows a child's progress from one year to the next. We should want a better testing system than the present one for our kids, if we want what is best for our kids.

As a taxpayer, I demand a better testing system, but I wonder if anyone will listen...?

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26) I agree [by Anonymous Citizen on March 5, 2008]
I can only hope that this bill passes. We lose at least 10-15 days (or more) of instruction for testing, portfolios, scrimmage open response etc. No one will ever convince me that a feature article is real-world writing nor does it help science content. Lab reports are frowned upon even though this is what kids will be doing in college. And don't get me started on inventive spelling or not being able to correct a paper! Obviously, it is time for the "real" teachers to get on the bandwagon, not the "few" (with the help of politicians and other non-teachers) who helped draft some of this garbage in the first place!
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27) away with portfolios! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 4, 2008]
Portfolios are a horrible measure of a student's writing ability and of content knowledge! Is a "feature article" about dolphins really a good measure of a student's writing ability or of her skill in synthesizing scientific knowledge?

Porfolios take away from instructional time, not only for English teachers, but also for content teachers who have to sacrifice part of their curriculum in order to walk students through a porfolio assignment that they all know is contrived and counter-productive. I teach Spanish, but I have to give up several days of class time and many hours of grading time to complete a porfolio piece for the students' potential senior portfolios. Spending that much time writing in English during a Spanish class is the picture of counter-productivity.

The poor English teachers bear the brunt of the portfolio madness. They have to shuffle through piles of writing pieces, and they spend innumerable hours forcing kids to jump through the necessary hoops required to attain a set level of "proficiency" determined by the State.

Teachers all know that writing is an important part of life beyond high school, and we all want our kids to read and write well. Teachers will not stop having students write with the elimination of writing portfolios. What will stop is the devotion of hours and days to compiling a body of paperwork that checks off the appropriate number of boxes on a proficiency check-list.

In order to measure students' real writing abilities, assessments should be made on what students write independently at a given moment. On-demands are a more valid assessment of writing ability because they measure what a student is able to do on his or her own without the coaching of teachers.

I applaud the senators who have introduced this bill, and I will make sure that my friends and colleagues know about it. I will also make sure that they know that one of our own senators is on the list of sponsors. I encourage the people on the education committee to put this up for vote, and I implore all legislators to strike down the insanity and counterproductivity of portfolios and show that you value real teaching and learning.
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28) 4th grade teacher [by Anonymous Citizen on March 3, 2008]
I agree with the grandmother who said she loved teaching writing, but the portfolio is not teaching those writing skills. Portfolios are great, but just not as a part of assessment. Please do away with these as a part of assessment.
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29) Bravo [by Anonymous Citizen on March 3, 2008]
Senator Williams should be applauded.

It is time that "catching" schools is important and teaching kids becomes the focus.

This bill would allow schools to track student progress and help the ones that need help. High expectations can be apart of this.

Educators want to teach kids. The punative atmosphere with KDE must be stopped.

Lastly, look at the money this state would save.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

Don't let the talking heads talk you out of this one.
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30) Please add alternate portfolios to the bill! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 3, 2008]
This is the greatest news that teachers have had in years! I doubt a raise would generate the excitement this bill has given teachers! The only thing better would be the addition of the alternate portfolio to the bill. It is incredible to me that special students who cannot speak, write, or even recognize their name when spoken, are expected to do extraordinary tasks required of their regular ed. peers! Trust me! Teachers are creative but not THAT creative! It is placing some very good teachers in a precarious position of improvising and compromising their integrity in order to obtain scores required by the state. Same thing with writing portfolios. Given enough "conferencing", anyone can get proficient, which is why 80% of special ed. students score proficient on them! Oh, please! Get us back to basics. Let teachers teach ENGLISH GRAMMAR! Let students learn how to really write a sentence instead of spending a year writing a piece for a portfolio that is NOT really their work! THANK GOD YOU REALIZE THIS, APPARENTLY! My only regret is that you are not in my district so I could vote for you!
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31) Reply to Please Add... [by Anonymous Citizen on March 3, 2008]
I so agree with you. So do most teachers still teaching in the classrooms. Some are still afraid to voice their opinions. It's funny to watch comments from those on the sidelines. They seem to be the only true ones against changing anything. What ever happened to continuous progress and celebrating the progress of the individual child? It is just awful at what KERA and CATS have turned into. Do you know of any schools where students get recognized for having proficient and distinguished scores on such subjective assessments? Well, I do and I do not think this is always best at the primary level. Case in point...saw child ridiculed and ostracized for being "dumber than the dumb kids" because she scored apprentice on assessments while the special education students received distinguished medals. I guess she wasn't important enough to spend that extra time on...or maybe the teacher working with her wasn't as creative. Sad, but true. Every part of it. Thank God for Senator Williams who is trying to clean up this mess. We do need a change. I too regret that he is not in my district. I would proudly vote for him. How proud his district must be!!!!
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32) CANCEL CATS [by Anonymous Citizen on March 2, 2008]
I am so afraid to get my hopes up that this Bill might actually become law. As a teacher of over 20 years and a parent of two children who were educated with KERA in effect, I am adamantly opposed to keeping CATS, portfolios, and open responses on the test. Currently, I am teaching 7th grade English which means my year is consumed by the almighty portfolio. It is not at all a valid portrayal of how the students really write. In revision after revision they lose interest in what they decided to write about in the first place and then they get tired of writing at all! It happened similarly to my own children. They loved to write in their early years, each keeping a journal for example at home just for fun. This love slacked off after 4th grade and by the end of 7th grade, they told me they hated writing. He had become such a cumbersome chore that they no longer wanted to write. With my students there is such stress on portfolios that I don't have the time to teach them the fundamentals of grammar and sentence structure, etc. which of course are the basis for being able to write well. And CATS testing, every educator knows teachers teach to the test; it's not what we want to do, but there is not time to do more. CATS forces teachers to give students calculators to do basic math problems with before these kids have even learned how to do the basics! A test as would be mandated by SB1 would be such a much better indicator of student achievement and it would be easier to compare to nationwide scores. Multiple choice questions can be worded so that critical thinking is involved. The ACT and SAT and even after college the GRE, all are multiple choice and if you haven't taken one lately, try one and you'll see what I mean.

Please don't give up the fight. Get rid of CATS and portfolios!
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33) Concerned Grandmother [by Anonymous Citizen on March 2, 2008]
Am I qualified to express an opinion on fourth grade portfolios? You be the judge! I am a mother whose four children graduated from four different colleges WITHOUT the benefit of portfolios. I am a grandmother whose grandchildren are not receiving the same quality education (attending the same school) because they spend so much time writing. I am also a retired teacher who saw great teaching going on, and I am now substituting and see most of the school day in fourth grade – NOT teaching subject matter – but coaching fourth graders writing portfolios. I love writing. But sitting with children and “helping” them is not teaching a love for writing nor teaching them writing skills. As for the grading of these being subjective- of course, we do not all enjoy the same style of writing. Thank you, Senator Williams, for taking a stand for the children in Kentucky. You must really care!!!!! May you go DOWN in history as a senator who cared enough to stand UP.
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34) CATS Go away [by Anonymous Citizen on February 29, 2008]
CATS-NO CATS

Why does an item that involves children of the schools have to be political? If one has a
tooth ache, go to the dentist. If one has an ache anywhere, go to the profession that deals
with that ache. CATS aches? Then go to teachers that deal with the subject of assessment and not those that have an ax to grind. This should not be a political item at all. Mr. Sexton needs to be an educator to understand the plight of CATS. When was the last year he had to deal with students on a daily basis? Unless something is corrected, CATS will do the same damage to education of students as “Modern Math” did to the
curriculum back in the 1960’s. Proponents of the NCLB law have advocated at the Federal Education level to recommend states go to a “growth model” to track individuals from grade to grade to see growth has been made before 2014 and cease comparing last year’s 5th graders with this years (Article in Dec. 8, 2007 C.J. Tax payers of Kentucky--get on the band wagon to pass SB 1 while there is time.

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35) Thank God! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 28, 2008]
Finally, someone in Frankfort has some sense. The portfolios and CATS testing is so subjective. It is really sad what we have done to education in Kentucky. Thank God for Senator Williams and SB 1!
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36) Hallelujah! SB 1 [by Anonymous Citizen on February 28, 2008]
Thank you Sen. David L. Williams! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have had two children graduate from high school in the last six years. Unfortunately, both were educated under this system. I can tell you that each went to different colleges in KY (UK and University of Louisville)and at freshman orientation, both schools commented on the need to establish Writing Centers because the students just couldn't write anymore. Just ask the colleges if our kids are prepared. Take a look at how many writing centers have been established at universities and colleges due to this mess. Please don't back down. Get these portfolios out of our schools. If we would take the money spent on CATS and portfolios and actually put it into schools, we could raise the roof off ACT and SAT scores! If you even think about portfolios at the fourth grade level, you can see how silly it really is considering the developmental stage of this age group. Finally, it looks like we have some elected officials who are listening and looking out for our children. Thank you, Senator Williams. I applaud your effort and am ecstatic at the possibility of changes in the ridiculous assessments that have really hurt our kids going to college. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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37) Teacher [by jamiecat on February 28, 2008]
The intention of the CATS is to promote higher level thinking in all content areas. The intention and reality are completely opposite. Kentucky's public school teachers have become CATS prep instructors and have to cram content in where we can. Rep. Moberly and Education Secretary Lovejoy proved how disconnectd they are from the reality of public education on this week's Comment on Kentucky. I don't want to imply that ALL of the testing system is flawed. Some of the multiple choice questions and the on-demand are good testing instruments. It is unfortunate that the test doesn't tell us more specifically what the students' needs are.
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38) Alternative Portfolios [by Anonymous Citizen on February 28, 2008]
I think that Alternative Portfolios need to be added to the bill. The format and scoring are not an assesment of the students abilities, but that of the teachers ability to modify.
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39) Portfolio & CATS Testing [by Anonymous Citizen on February 27, 2008]
As the parent of a 7th grader who is currently in the throes of portfolio writing I am writing to add my support to the passage of Senate Bill 1. Seems to me that the teachers and students spend more time writing and conferencing on Portfolio than teaching and learning how to write. As for the CATS testing, all teaching and learning cease to exist while the children are "schooled" on what is expected on the CATS testing, therefore, losing almost an entire 9 weeks of learning.
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40) Hurray for this bill!!! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 26, 2008]
I am required to teach Drama to K-5. First of all, my training is in Library Media, not drama. I think this is the first smart thing the state of Kentucky could do for all children. Every decision that is made at the district level is based on CATS testing and not what is best for the students and there is a difference!! This is an answer to a prayer for Kentucky teachers!!! It has my vote!! Maybe now teachers will begin to love their jobs again!
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41) Testing [by Anonymous Citizen on February 24, 2008]
It's about time someone has realized that CATS doesn't determine what the students know; it determines how well they test. I have been in education for 19 years and have been involved with CATS since its inception. Writing portfolios don't determine how well students write; they determine how well they can conference and be polished with their teachers; math testing doesn't determine what math skills they know; it determines how well they can use a calculator. CATS tests the teachers and how well they can teach to the test. It should be abolished and this state needs to go back to ensuring that our students can be thinkers, not test-takers.
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42) problems with the bill [by Anonymous Citizen on February 27, 2008]
The ACT allows calculators, too, so I'm not sure what the complaint is from another poster on here about CATS allowing calculators.

I've been teaching for 11 years, and I am against SB1. I agree the portfolio system needs significant revision, but the rest of the bill would take us backward educationally in this state.
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43) Thank you finally [by Anonymous Citizen on February 22, 2008]
I'm almost shocked that after all this time someone in the legislature grew a brain about Kentucky Education. I hope all those voting on this reads these posts, to understand just how unproductive these portfolios have been. It's too bad the 28 and under crowd is now out in the job market with no or poor skills in writing and math.

Thank you
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44) THANK YOU AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALL FOURTH GRADE TEACHERS IN THE STATE! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 21, 2008]
I support this bill wholeheartedly! I have been a fourth grade teacher in the state of Kentucky for nearly nine years. I have conferenced with the students writing portfolios, and they are not an accurate indication of a students writing ability. We as educators are forced to "teach the test". I think that teachers, parents, and students should be accountable through national testing yearly in ALL SUBJECT AREAS! As a fourth grade teacher who has the testing areas of math, science, reading, writing, and practical living, where do you think the emphasis of my teaching will go? Also, this many tests are WAY TOO MANY with open responses for a 9 year old child. It's sad, but true. Also, there are TOO MANY tests at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade levels, and NOT ENOUGH at other levels, which is totally UNFAIR to intermediate teachers, as well as intermediate students. KUDOS to the writer of this bill.....its time to let the elementary concrete learners go back to concrete learning.
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45) Amen, Sister! [by Anonymous Citizen on February 28, 2008]
You are so right! Hopefully this will pass! I am so excited that they are even discussing it. Maybe this next generation of students will be blessed with a much better educational system. This current system certainly does not measure a child's ability nor his/her progress. I think you'll agree that it is also very subjective. I can't believe it's taken this long for people to see. I had almost given up hope. Thank God for Senator Williams!
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46) Removing Writing Portfolios [by Penny Alderman on February 20, 2008]
To any conscientious language arts teacher, it is clear that the teaching of writing is a core element for instruction. To think that the current process of generating portfolios is productive and/or an accurate assessment of our students' abilities is unimaginable. The only true assessment of writing ability lies in an on-demand situation. Because on-demand could remain a part of our assessment, the teaching of writing would continue in the classroom even without portfolio assessment. All we have to do is look at the extrememly high portfolio scores and the low on-demand scores within in the same school to realize that our students are not becoming more porficient writers. The students appear to be "fixing" pieces instead of internalizing the process of writing in such a way that will make them successful independent writers. What concerns me is that if legislators consider writing portfolios to be detrimental to education in the elementary classrooms, why is that not true at ALL levels. We need to rely on teachers in the classroom to serve as guides for our decisions at the state level. English teachers in middle and high school are begging for a relief from the contraints of portfolio so that they can truly focus on the teaching of writing.
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47) Rebecca [by Anonymous Citizen on February 20, 2008]
Yes!!!! Finally the state is doing something very smart with education-----its time for a change--i have been teaching 7th grade English for 14 years portfolios have never been an accurate assessment
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48) Mary [by Anonymous Citizen on February 20, 2008]
Get rid of the CATS tests and go back to the old fashioned SAT test. You might be surprised what teachers are actually teaching. Student Acheivement Test will prove that we need teachers that will teach the subject matters that will provide a beneficial future for our kids, not some of the BS that kids are getting now!
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49) Thank God [by WARCREEK on February 21, 2008]
Now teachers can get back to teaching the "basics"needed in everyday life.What ever happened to good old fashion research papers and book reports?Where is basic math?These things are being overlooked and you can tell it.Now if we can get rid of NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.Kids should be in groups with kids that won't "hold" them back.
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