K-PREP elementary school math

We’ve been writing about the new Kentucky Performance Report for Educational Progress (K-PREP) test results and the Unbridled Learning school accountability scores. People are asking, “What do these new test scores show? Is the new program really more rigorous? Is it rigorous enough?

Our first four blogs looked at K-PREP middle school data. We found that while the new K-PREP middle school tests in math and reading are more rigorous than the old CATS assessments, the new tests still may not be rigorous enough, with the picture looking somewhat better for reading than math. It is also obvious that the K-PREP middle school science and social studies tests are just warmed over versions of the old CATS assessments, with science including the same inflated scoring compared to scores from more credible tests like the NAEP and the EXPLORE.

Now, let’s look at K-PREP results for the elementary school level, starting with math.

On a bright note, it looks like K-PREP math scoring for our fourth grade students may be dead on target compared to the highly respected NAEP math results from one year ago.

So, unlike the situation for middle school math, K-PREP math scoring for elementary schools may be set very well.

Of course, we really need to look at the trends over time as more NAEP and K-PREP math scores become available to be certain K-PREP is set correctly. Will K-PREP scoring get easier over time and thereby inflate the scores, or will the K-PREP elementary school math results remain aligned with NAEP? Only time will tell, but in this subject and grade level, we have a good start.

Data Sources:

NAEP Data Explorer, Accessed 30Oct12

K-PREP Proficiency Rates – 2011-2012 Achievement State Grade report received by e-mail from KDE. Should be available on line soon.

CATS KCCT Scores – “2010-2011 Interim Performance Report, State,” Kentucky Department of Education, Frankfort, KY. May no longer be on line.