Bill to Replace CATS Assessment Advances

The Kentucky House Education Committee met in an extra, short-notice session today to consider the latest version of the bill to replace the CATS assessment with a more modern and useful product.

Representative Jody Richards raised about the only objections, which concern the removal of writing portfolios from the accountability system. Richards asserted this will deemphasize writing in the commonwealth. He leveled a bet that writing in Kentucky ten years hence will be poorer because of the change.

Several other legislators in the room immediately told Richards they would take him up on his bet. It was apparent that nearly all the legislators agree that other provisions in the bill make it clear that writing remains important. In fact, writing will continue to be evaluated with such things as on-demand writing tests during assessment testing and a new audit program that will insure schools continue to use writing portfolios in the instructional program.

At the end of the meeting, all committee members in attendance, including Richards, voted to send the measure forward for full House approval.

A summary of the present version of Senate Bill 1 as the House Education Committee considered it today is in a Legislative Research Commission document available here.

Next steps are for the full House to consider and approve this version and then forward it to the Kentucky Senate for approval. Most likely, resolution of any disagreements between the House and Senate on this bill will be carried out in consent committee meetings over the next two days.