From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighKentucky’s Commonwealth Accountability Testing System, or CATS, could soon be history. The state House last night voted 97-0 for a Senate bill that scraps the test in favor of a one that tracks individual student progress.House Education Committee chair Carl Rollins says there will be a two-year transition period for development of the new assessment system.“The new accountability for the two-year interim period will be the requirements for No Child Left Behind, in which you define proficiency and move toward proficiency,” Rollins said.The new assessment test will be in place by the 2011-2012 school year. In the meantime, schools will test in the areas of math, science, reading and social studies.Writing portfolios won’t be scored as part of the new test, but students will still have portfolios that follow them through school. Differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill still must be ironed out.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
