New test scores mean schools trying to confuse with misleading Prichard Index again

With the new Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT) scores out today, some schools and districts are again trying to mislead Kentuckians with a cobbled together unofficial “Index” created by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

But, not everyone is being fooled. Said one observer:

“The index is misleading and it is not in the best interest of the implementation of Senate Bill 1.” This observer added that the index isn’t reliable, and then said, “I hope they don’t use those.”

Now, take a guess at who this observer is. No, it’s not anyone from the Bluegrass Institute.

It is Lisa Gross, the media relations spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education!

There you have it. The KDE itself views the Prichard Index as detrimental to the advancement of our educational system under Senate Bill 1 from the 2009 Regular Legislative Session. Still, as the New Era points out, some Kentucky educators still cling to this inflated index, which is grounded in an equally inflated testing system. Prichard’s index does not tell us what we really need to know: are our kids being educated for college and careers.

That is really sad.