The Kentucky Department of Education released the first data from program reviews conducted in the state’s public schools.

Data released included program reviews in arts and humanities, practical living/career studies and writing.

Senate Bill 1 (2009) called for program reviews to be included as part of the state’s new assessment and accountability model.

“Today’s release provides helpful information that schools and districts can use to identify areas of strength and improvement for their arts and humanities, practical living/career studies and writing programs,” Education Commissioner Terry Holliday said. “The Unbridled Learning assessment and accountability model provides a wealth of academic, graduation and college- and career-readiness information. Program reviews add to the system by providing insight into how our schools are instructing students in subject areas that are not traditionally tested, but remain an important component of students’ overall educational experience.”

As part of the ongoing, year-round, process, school personnel assess the characteristics of an instructional program on four standards: Curriculum/Instruction, Formative/Summative Assessment, Professional Development and Administrative/Leadership. Each content area earns a total score of 0-12, which is then used to assign a performance classification:

  • Distinguished — 10.8 total points or higher
  • Proficient – between 8.0 to 10.7 total points
  • Needs Improvement – less than 8.0 total points

Statewide, data show arts and humanities, practical living/career studies and writing programs earned an overall score of 7 total points each which indicates the majority of programs need improvement.

Through careful evaluation during the program review process, schools are able to identify strengths as well as areas for growth in school programs which they can then target for improvement.

Program reviews make up the Next-Generation Instructional Programs and Support component of the Unbridled Learning Assessment and Accountability System. Later this fall, new combined overall scores for schools and districts will be released that introduce program reviews into the 2013-14 Unbridled Learning accountability model. The arts and humanities, practical living/career studies and writing program reviews will count 23 percent of a school’s overall accountability score. The remaining 77 percent will come from Next-Generation Learners components (achievement, gap, growth, graduation rate and college/career-readiness).

In the 2011-12 academic year, schools and districts participated in a pilot of program reviews. In 2012-13, all schools and districts conducted program reviews in arts and humanities, practical living/career studies and writing. Program reviews of a school’s kindergarten through 3rd-grade program and world language program are scheduled to be added later.

School and district program review data is available through KDE’s Open House.