KDE releases Explore and Plan

Kentucky’s 8th- and 10th-grade public school students participated in a statewide administration of the EXPLORE and PLAN assessments in the fall of 2008, and overall school scores moved up slightly in most subject areas tested.

Unlike most other states, all of Kentucky’s 8th- and 10th-grade public school students participate in EXPLORE and PLAN assessments. As is often the case with these examinations, when the pool of test-takers is large, overall scores tend to be lower. For the 2008 administration, scores nationwide remained flat, while Kentucky’s overall scores increased in nearly every subject area.

In the 2008 administration, 48,653 8th-grade Kentucky students in 324 public schools took the EXPLORE assessment. In the 2008 administration, 50,531 10th-grade Kentucky students in 229 public schools took the PLAN assessment.

Spencer County’s school district had a composite score of 14.5 in the EXPLORE test – same as the state score. The district’s composite PLAN score was 15.7 – slightly below the state score of 16.3. The scoring scale for both assessments is from 1 to 32.

The assessments will help schools focus on meeting academic standards across the entire secondary school program. Scores from the assessments will be helpful in measuring student achievement, gauging their readiness for transition and evaluating school programs.

Both assessments help schools pinpoint areas of weakness for individual students and schoolwide curriculum and make changes to improve learning. Schools will analyze their individual results to inform decision-making.

State law (KRS 158.6459) mandates that the Individual Learning Plans of students whose scores on EXPLORE and PLAN indicate that they need additional assistance in particular subject areas will incorporate strategies to help them improve their performance.

For more, visit www.education.ky.gov.