WEB KT NOV 98 - Kentuckye-archives.ky.gov/pubs/Education/Nov98KYT.pdf · By Wilmer S. Cody...

Kentucky TeacherKentucky TeacherNovember 1998

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb

CATS puzzle coming together for 1999 spring testingBy Faun S. FishbackKentucky Department of Education

High school testing under the newCommonwealth AccountabilityTesting System (CATS) will be

spread across more grades beginningthis spring, the Kentucky Board of Edu-cation decided at its October meeting.In addition, the board voted to includenorm-referenced test results in anyCATS accountability formula brought toit for consideration. Members also se-lected a vendor for CATS validationstudies.

Beginning with tests administeredin the spring of 1999 (April 19-30), twoparts of the comprehensive core con-tent tests will be moved from the 11thgrade to the 10th grade. High schoolstudents will be tested as follows:

• Grade 9 will take the norm-refer-enced basic skills test.

• Grade 10 will be tested in readingand practical living/vocational studies.

• Grade 11 will be tested in math-ematics, science, social studies, and artsand humanities.

• Grade 12 will complete the writ-ing portfolios and take the 90-minuteon-demand writing portion of CATS.(The board made additional decisionsabout portfolios. See Page 7.)

“This format will more evenly dis-tribute responsibility, enhance studentaccountability and give schools moretime to provide extra help to studentswho need it,” said State Board ChairHelen Mountjoy of Daviess County.

In redesigning the distribution oftests in high school grades, the boardrelied heavily on the recommendationsof the School Curriculum, Assessmentand Accountability Council, composedof teachers, administrators, parents andbusiness leaders.

In light of the CATS componentsmoved to 10th grade, the need for awork skills test, originally proposed forsophomores as part of CATS, will bediscussed further by the board.

Norm-referenced tests

The board directed the Departmentof Education to draft a proposal for con-sideration at its December meeting toinclude scores from the ComprehensiveTests of Basic Skills (CTBS/5) in theschool accountability index calcula-tions. How much weight the basic skillsportion of the test will be given in theaccountability formula will be deter-mined then.

This will be the first time norm-ref-erenced tests have been used in theaccountability formula. Students in theirfinal year of primary and grades 6 and9 will be given the test. Addition of theCTBS/5 Survey Edition will give par-ents a way to compare their children’sscores with a national norm and helpteachers and schools improve curricu-lum.

“This is a way for the board toclearly support instructional emphasison basic skills, which are also a part ofour core content,” Mountjoy said.“There is also a lot of sentiment to the

effect that if we give the test, then itought to count for something.”

Validation studies

Validation studies are required bystate law (House Bill 53) to make surethe new testing system is highly reli-able and valid. The Human ResourcesResearch Organization, an internationalorganization with an office in Radcliff,received the contract.

After consulting with the NationalTechnical Advisory Panel, which isworking with the Department of Edu-cation to develop the new test, theboard is requiring a powerful batteryof studies to ensure the highest levelsof reliability and validity. The researchagenda will certify that student andschool results used for school account-ability are valid and reliable. Studiesalso will document the relation betweenCATS and local instruction and studentlearning.

More about the testing schedule,portfolios and accountability issues canbe found on Pages 7-10.

WORDS AND MORE WORDS — Teacher Freda McNew leads students in a lesson onsuffixes at Salyersville Grade School in Magoffin County. McNew recently received aMilken Family Foundation National Educator Award for excellence in teaching.

Teachers select andwrite CATS questions

Kentucky’s new testing system,known as CATS, will be basedon questions selected and

developed by the state’s teachers. InOctober, more than 100 teachersfrom the state Core ContentAdvisory Committee worked ingrade- and subject-specific subcom-mittees to select or write test items.

Since August, more than 260teachers have had some directimpact on the testing system bycreating the blueprint, evaluating thematch of the norm-referenced teststo Kentucky’s “Core Content forAssessment,” and selecting anddeveloping test items. Theseeducators are taking back to theirschools and districts current, correctinformation about the assessmentand accountability process.

In the past three months, morethan 3,500 educators have writtencomments to the Kentucky Depart-ment of Education about CATSissues. Their input has been consid-ered throughout the CATS develop-ment process.

The test development was drivenby House Bill 53, which was passedby the 1998 Kentucky GeneralAssembly and defined many of theparameters of the new assessment,including the intent that there besome comparability between the oldand new testing systems. Afterexamination and refinement byKentucky teachers, some test items

Continued on 2

C A T SC A T S

2 November 1998 Kentucky Teacher

Commissioner’s Comments

By Wilmer S. CodyCommissioner of Education

Student writing is improving inKentucky schools. Teachers re-port this anecdotally, and the

data support it as fact.Writing has long been a require-

ment in Kentucky education. The stateprogram of studies established in themid-1980s — long before portfolioswere part of assessment — requiredthat students write for a variety ofaudiences and purposes. Becausethere was no incentive to meet thatrequirement, students in most class-rooms, most of the time, wrote for onlyone audience — their teachers — andonly one purpose — a grade.

When writing portfolios becamepart of student assessment and schoolaccountability in 1991-92, schools hada clear incentive to provide studentsopportunities to communicate in realand meaningful ways.

Now there is discussion of remov-ing writing portfolios from the ac-countability system. Let’s consider theconsequences of such a step.

Equity

If writing portfolios were removedfrom the accountability equation,some districts and schools wouldabandon the use of portfolios as partof their instruction. Their students,losing the opportunities portfolios pro-vide, would be at a disadvantage asthey apply for entrance to universitiesand technical schools, as they do theirpostsecondary work, as they competein the work force. The disadvantagegoes beyond a reduced capacity forwriting; it extends to the ability tothink and reason, for that is what writ-ing teaches.

Instruction

Of all the aspects of school account-ability testing, portfolio writing may bethe one area over which educators canhave the greatest influence and throughwhich they can guide students towardthe most significant gains. By settingcriteria, basing instruction on those cri-teria, showing students examples of ef-fective writing and modeling the writ-ing process, schools and districts canall but guarantee improved performancein writing.

Professional developmentSchools making difficult decisions

about limited professional develop-ment resources will realistically applythose resources to areas that count inthe accountability equation. If portfo-lios don’t count, professional develop-ment in writing and portfolio scoringis in jeopardy. If teachers aren’t im-proving in teaching and scoring writ-ing, students won’t improve in writ-ing.

Time

The continuing debate about port-folios taking time from instruction ig-nores the point that portfolios are andalways have been intended to be to-tally within the context of daily in-struction. Students write as a matterof course throughout the school yearto learn and to express what they learnthroughout the curriculum. They se-lect their strongest pieces for theirportfolios. Teachers who stop instruc-tion to make portfolio assignmentswould consider portfolios an infringe-ment on instructional time. Teachersin all content areas who understandand embrace the power of writing as

an instructional tool consider portfo-lios not as “add-ons” but as showcasesof student achievement.

In response to House Bill 53 andin recognition that time is a major con-sideration for teachers and students,the state board in October amendedthe portfolio content requirements. Ingrades 7 and 12, the requirement isreduced from six to five pieces. Port-folios for grade 4 will include only fourpieces.

In summary

Kentucky law (HB 53) mandatesthat portfolios be compiled and scoredand that scores be reported. Thatmeans portfolios are a state require-ment for now, whether they are partof the accountability equation or not.If this requirement were removed fromaccountability, what reason wouldteachers and students have to take thetask seriously? Educators, like all pro-fessionals, have many demands ontheir time and will put their energiesand resources into the things thatcount the most. What counts get done!For students, that’s the bottom line.

Each month, Kentucky Teacher pre-sents a topic and invites teachers’ re-sponses. This month’s topic:

Alternative certificationThe 1998 General Assembly passed

legislation that provides a new certifi-cation option to teach in grades 9-12.Professionals from business, industryand the military with 10 years of ex-ceptional experience and a job offerin a school district can be certified to

teach in their areas of expertise.The question

In your opinion, what is the mostimportant thing Kentucky can do toprepare teachers who have not com-pleted a traditional teacher prepara-tion program?

To respond, use one of these op-tions:

• E-mail to [email protected].• U.S. mail to Kentucky Teacher,

1914 Capital Plaza Tower, 500 MeroSt., Frankfort, KY 40601.

• Fax to Kentucky Teacher at (502)564-6470.

Please include your name, mailingaddress, phone number, school andgrade level. Kentucky Teacher willverify all comments before publica-tion.

When portfolios count, writing improves

Kentucky Teacher

FORUM Open discussion about public education

Teachers respond to arecent “Forum” questionabout school safety. SeePage 11.

p

3November 1998 Kentucky Teacher

By Sharon Crouch FarmerKentucky Department of Education

If you want flowers, you have toplant the seed. If you nurture, feedand water that seed, it will grow

and produce colorful blooms.That analogy might be used by

Diane Bisher and Rita Noe at StanfordElementary (Lincoln County) to ex-plain why they explore career choicesin early primary.

“At this age, children have a verylimited view of the world,” explainedBisher. “Introducing careers to themaccomplishes several goals: It pre-pares a solid foundation for a goodwork ethic. It gives them stronger con-nection to the community and theworld beyond. And they begin to de-velop a connection between what theylearn in school and how that appliesin life.”

Bisher received a School-to-Workgrant to expand the school’s tradi-tional housekeeping learning centerto include a dramatic play center thatwould be used for career role-playingactivities. “We had never done a uniton career exploration and awareness,”Bisher said, “and thought that wouldbe a good addition to our social stud-ies curriculum.”

Grant funds allowed Bisher to pur-chase materials for role playing — cos-tumes, developmentally appropriateversions of occupational tools — andtake field trips. She was also able topurchase a scanner, digital cameraand presentation software — all itemsstudents will use to put together a cul-minating presentation on the unit.

Bisher worked throughout thesummer using the new computerequipment and software, and she andNoe restructured the curriculum.

A variety of dramatic play centersare planned for the year-long unit:

housekeeping, fire safety, nutrition(grocery store), holiday safety and lawenforcement, medicine (doctor andveterinarian), post office, constructionand banking. “We have our combinedclass of 36 students divided into fivegroups each week,” Bisher explained.“Each group visits the dramatic playcenter, along with four other learningcenters, once each week. The career-related dramatic play center stays up

Schools are no longer islands unto themselves. Schools are no longer an appendage of the commu-nity, but part of each community’s core.

Today, learning cannot be complete without exposure to elements that comprise the culture. Learn-ing must include a thorough brush with reality.

Academic learning must include connections to the world outside the classroom, to people outsidethe classroom, to opportunities beyond the classroom.

Practical Lessons for Practical Living

Early primary students explore career possibilities

at least a month, so the students getrepeated exposure.”

The culminating project will in-clude a multimedia presentation de-veloped by the students using digitaland scanned photographs of the year’slearning activities. Parents will be in-vited to see the presentation at a ca-reer day. “Students will wear clothingrelated to various professions andhave the opportunity to share whatthey have learned,” Bisher said.

Above: Stanford Fire Chief LeroyLunsford talks with kindergarten

students about what firemen do andhow they do it, and what children

can do if fire threatens.

At right: Vedenia Byrd, a 5-year-oldprimary student at Stanford Elemen-tary, tries a fireman’s hat on for size

during a role-playing activity in class.The students dressed up like firemen,

staffed a mock 911 phone line andtook other roles as part of their career

exploration.

Ph

otos

by

Ric

k M

cCom

b

Diane Bisher’s‘Words of Advice’

1. Plan. Think beyond theobvious and the immediate.2. Seek out extra funding. Youmake your classrooms andinstruction so much better andmore meaningful for each childif you seek out grant fundssuch as those offered throughSchool-to-Work.3. Be patient. It takes time toput together a grant proposal.4. Involve technology in everyactivity; it has multiple benefits.5. Involve the community.There are resources that youcan call on to help you make alesson plan more than youimagined.

And what they learn goes beyondcareers, beyond academics and into therealm of reacting in the real world.Stanford Fire Chief Leroy Lunsford saysthat sometimes what they learn paysoff in lives. “We had a structure firerecently, and there were two children— ages three and five — and theirmother inside,” Chief Lunsford relates.“The older child remembered what hehad been told and was able to get him-self and the younger child out safelyand tell the firemen that the motherwas on the floor and could not get up.That child’s knowledge saved threelives.”

For more information on this pro-gram, contact Diane Bisher at StanfordElementary, phone (606) 365-2191 ore-mail to [email protected].

p



Middle school students in Bar-ren County spend a lot oftime with members of their

Glasgow community. They watchthem work, talk with them about theirjobs, study the consumer market andexplore opportunities.

Two years ago, a curriculum com-mittee evaluation revealed gaps in aca-demic areas at Barren County MiddleSchool. The seven-week CareerChoices course for both 7th- and 8th-graders wasn’t enough. A year-long in-terdisciplinary class was added for 8th-graders, designed to piggyback aca-demic content and offer real-world ac-tivities and explorations of real-life is-sues.

Teachers Lori Richey and JenniferToms use Kentucky’s program of stud-ies, History Alive and a packet theypurchased from the EconomicsAmerica program as a basis for theirunits.

“I needed something I could usewith 150 students,” said Richey,“something I had both time andmoney for.”

Richey and Toms work closely withother teachers to enhance what stu-dents are studying.

“We give them the opportunity tosee all sides of an issue, to realize thereare trade-offs in life and, really, to ap-ply learning to their lives,” Toms said.

Principal Michelle Pedigo added,“The unit on economics probablymakes the biggest impression on stu-dents and really draws in the commu-nity.” An automobile retailer, a travelagent, a real estate agent and a bankpresident come into the classroom.“The students hear about loans andleasing, contracts and contractors,even about how vacationing is part ofstress management,” Pedigo said.

South Central Bank plays a majorrole in the unit. The bank provides apacket of materials, including a check

book and register, to each student.Bank President Ellen Bale or one of thebank’s officers comes into the class-room once each week for six weeks toteach budgeting, establishing andmaintaining credit, and other mattersof personal financial management.

“We see this [involvement] as aninvestment,” Bale said. “An educatedwork force brings good jobs to town,and we all grow.”

The unit culminates with studentsdoing personal budget profiles thatinclude prospective careers and sala-ries and how those salaries will — orwon’t — cover daily needs and desires,including cars, vacations and homes.

“They began to realize what kindof salary they need to earn to have thestandard of living they want,” Pedigoadded.

Shadowing

As part of the seven-week CareerChoices unit, Mary Jo Marsh walks 8th-graders through the process of seek-ing, finding and getting jobs.

“Each student chooses an employerand writes a letter expressing an inter-est in job shadowing,” Marshsays. “Those who get positivereplies can follow through.”

Marsh works closely withAllen Poynter, coordinator ofthe family resource and youthservices center. The centerprovides several services, in-cluding transportation to getthe students to their job sites.

Marsh cautions studentsthat details such as proofread-ing letters, business-appropri-ate dress and behavior, andinterview follow-ups are allimportant.

“They need to understandthat [inappropriate] presenta-tion of themselves can costthem jobs,” she said.


Middle-schoolers learn about jobs and salaries

Eighth-grade middle school students in Barren County get career experiences by jobshadowing employers throughout the community. Bence Roemer (left), a physical therapyassistant at T.J. Samson Hospital in Glasgow, shows Kelly Short (center) how to applyelectrical muscle stimulation. The “patient” is Ann Hodges, a hospital staff assistant.

While studying economics at Barren County Middle School,students learn personal budgeting and become familiar with whatgoes on in banks. Sue Gentry, head teller at South Central Bank inGlasgow, shows Alicia Fields and Kenny Morrison the vault.

Ph

otos

by

Ric

k M

cCom

b

p




By the time you’re a senior atSimon Kenton High School,you’ve already been around the

block a few times. You’ve exploredcareers and practiced life skills in-depth since yourfreshman year. Now,as a senior, you putthat experience tothe test in a SeniorExit Project requiredfor graduation.

Simon Kenton’sSenior Exit Project isboth a culminatingevent and a new be-ginning. It does notjust showcase stu-dent skills but sets acourse for furthercareer development.It demonstrates eachstudent’s reading, writing, speaking,thinking, self-discipline, problem-solv-ing and organizational skills developedduring the four years of high school.Community members, business lead-ers and school and district staff serveas mentors throughout the project andare judges for project evaluations.

“By the time our seniors begin thisproject, their expectations are prettyrealistic,” said Carissa Shutzman, the9th-grade English teacher who helpedget the project off the ground.

Five years ago, Simon Kenton En-glish teachers restructured their cur-riculum to include a year-long fresh-man course that integrated career ex-plorations. The curriculum for all fouryears of English focuses on conceptsinstead of subject, making career ex-ploration a natural tie-in.

Teachers use a gender equity grantfrom the Cabinet for Workforce Devel-opment to bring in professionals asconsultants and to buy materials for

projects. For example, a local floraldesign company helped develop a unitthat explored skills and knowledgenecessary to its work. “We talkedabout the science behind it — seasons,soils, chemicals — the math, socialvalue, as well as the more artistic

knowledge needed to suc-ceed,” said Shutzman.

“That orientationtends to make the age-oldquestion ‘Why do I haveto take this course?’moot,” said Niki Locklear,chair of Simon Kenton’sEnglish Department. “Itleads to a better under-standing of how academ-ics fits into careers.”

Senior Exit has threebasic components withina portfolio: research (pa-perwork), activity(project) and presenta-tion. “The student’s indi-

vidual graduation plan and career planare a part — but only a part — of theproject,” Locklear explained. It in-cludes transcript, resume, samplecover letter, letters of recommendationand a forecast of where the studentplans to be in 10 years.

Project content focuses on prob-lem solving. “Students must analyzean existing or potential problem intheir chosen career field, then researchand select a solution and support itwith evidence,” said Locklear. Stu-dents must present and defend theirwork in front of classmates and apanel of judges composed of teachersand others in the community.

In addition to the portfolio ele-ments, all seniors must complete 30hours of service learning. “They mayspend only three hours on any oneproject at any one place,” said MelindaWray, a 12th-grade English teacher.“That helps spread their work

throughout the community.” Studentshelp at the elementary school, library,churches, homeless shelters, nursinghomes and senior citizen facilities.Every student must work at the soupkitchen at least once.

“Students are now buying in to ser-vice learning,” said Locklear. “At first,they didn’t see the rewards — such asexperiencing age and socio-economicgroups that otherwise they would onlyread about.”

The Senior Exit Project is also hav-ing an unexpected result: School dis-cipline problems historically linkedwith “senioritis” are occurring much

Simon Kenton senior exit project preparesstudents for higher learning, careers and life

less frequently. As graduation daynears, seniors at Simon Kenton just getbusier. Students must complete theirportfolio tasks on their own personaltime, not class time.

“The last month or so of school,students finalize research and budget,prepare for the culminating presenta-tion and finish those last hours in ser-vice learning,” explained Locklear.

“Our seniors know where they aregoing and, in some cases, where theyare not going,” said Wray. “They havedirection and an idea of reality.”

With 30 hours of service learning required for graduation fromSimon Kenton High School, students develop realistic expecta-tions about the future. Mindy Cuevas (left) and Cayeann Suer, 17-year-old seniors, help get a PTA fundraiser under way at KentonElementary.

Shutzman

Ph

otos

by

Ric

k M

cCom

b

p


By Faun S. FishbackKentucky Department of Education

How much richer could yourstudents’ learning experiencesbe if they had access right in

your classroom to rare documents,early motion pictures, rare prints andphotographs or a recorded sound col-lection?

Surprise! They do! All this andmore is only a few computer key-strokes away on the Internet atmemory.loc.gov. That’s the AmericanMemory homepage on the Library ofCongress Web site. As part of a projectto digitize many of its American his-tory holdings, the Library of Congressis making many rare documents, pho-tographs, films and prints available to

the public via the Internet. To encour-age educators to use the site, the na-tional repository is training teams ofteachers online and during sessions inWashington, D.C., on how to use thesite, develop lesson plans and postthose lessons on the AmericanMemory Web pages.

Lydia DiMartino, the library mediaspecialist at Burgin (Independent)High School, is one of Kentucky’s rep-resentatives to the American MemoryFellow program. She and formerBurgin social studies teacher LauraDrury were selected last year as anAmerican Memory Fellow team. Theywere the only team from Kentucky andone of the few from the Southeast U.S.Drury now teaches in Marion County,

so DiMartino and Drury are collabo-rating and completing the Fellow re-quirements by developing a lessonon vaudeville. (See story below.)

DiMartino says the AmericanMemory Web site is “absolutely won-derful! It offers an amazing array ofprimary resources about Americanhistory. The lesson plans are a won-derful idea to get the resources usedin the classroom.” Those resourcesinclude rare documents and collec-tions that the general public wouldnot normally see — letters handwrit-ten by George Washington in the1780s, draft copies of the Declara-tion of Independence, frames fromThomas Edison’s first “moving pic-tures.”

American Memory site breathes life into history and humanities“These kinds of things are invalu-

able for students to look at,” DiMartinosaid. “They need to know that thewriters of the Declaration of Indepen-dence didn’t just sit down and writeit. They need to see the crossed outwords and all drafts before it was fin-ished. It really gives them a sense ofthe time period, what was going on ata certain time in history.”

Currently, there are 40 collectionsavailable on the American MemoryWeb site, ranging from The African-American Odyssey to Scenic Photo-graphs from Around the World (1894-96). “It’s all just a click away,”DiMartino said.

Vaudeville takes the stage at BurginStudents in Lydia DiMartino’s humani-

ties class gave their families and friendsa slice of American history at the Burgin

(Independent) High School Fall Festival byproducing a vaudeville show complete witha magician, comedians, an “animal” act anda songstress.

As the culminating activity of their studyof music and entertainment at the turn ofthe century, the 23 students — from fresh-men to seniors — performed authentic ma-terial they’d found on the Internet or workedbehind the scenes designing a playbill, post-ers and scenery and helping as the backstagecrew. Their work was guided by DiMartino’sextensive research as a participant of the Li-brary of Congress’ American Memory FellowProgram. (See accompanying story.)DiMartino, the school’s library media spe-cialist, is required to submit a lesson planusing digitized pieces from the Library ofCongress Web site (memory.loc.gov). Her les-son plan may be selected to be posted nextspring on the Internet for other teachers touse in American history, humanities andAmerican studies classes.

As part of the vaudeville study, stu-dents constructed a history time line for10 years during the vaudeville era. Theylearned the components of a vaudevilleperformance, read original scripts fromvaudeville shows, found lyrics to oldsongs and discovered magic tricks duringtheir cyberspace exploration. They addedwords like “dumb act,” “rube” and“straight man” to their vocabularies. Stu-dents also are reading E.L. Doctorow’snovel, “Ragtime,” and DiMartino hopesto find funding for a class trip to see atouring company’s production of theBroadway musical.

“I think the students have learned somuch through this,” DiMartino said. “Notjust music and the history of music, butlife skills — what it takes to be part of agroup, good study habits, public speak-ing and exposure to drama.”

To learn more about DiMartino andDrury’s American Memory lesson, con-tact DiMartino at (606) 748-5282, ext. 22,or by e-mail, [email protected].

Frankie Whaite (center) stares in wide-eyed amazement whileJosh Flora as “The Great Houdini” rehearses a card trick. RoriGiven (left) watches the action at rehearsal of the vaudevilleproduction that was researched on the Library of Congress Ameri-can Memory Web site.

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb

q qp



Under a regulation proposed bythe Kentucky Board of Educa-tion, portfolios compiled by

Kentucky students will require fewerpieces of writing beginning this schoolyear.

In response to concerns voiced byteachers, parents and school adminis-trators, the board put into motion astate regulation that would reduce thenumber of portfolio pieces required ingrades 4, 7 and 12 and reduce portfo-lio development and scoring time. Theboard has not yet determined whetherportfolios will be a part of the CATSaccountability formula.

The Department of Education, edu-cators and other stakeholders areworking together to determine theportfolio completion date. District as-sessment coordinators will receive in-formation as soon as a date is set. Theearliest date under consideration forportfolio completion for 1998-99 isMarch 26.

Under the proposed regulation, thedesign and requirements for the writ-ing portfolio in 1998-99 at each gradelevel are the following:

Grade 4

• The portfolio will contain fourpieces.

• One piece will represent eachkind of writing specified in the “CoreContent for Assessment” (reflective[letter to the reviewer], personal, lit-erary, transactive).

• At least one piece must comefrom a content area other than En-glish/language arts.

Grade 7

• The portfolio will containfive pieces.

• One piece will representeach kind of writing specified in the

“Core Content for Assessment” (re-flective [letter to the reviewer], per-sonal, literary, transactive) plus onechoice from either the personal, liter-ary or transactive category.

• At least one piece must comefrom a content area other than En-glish/language arts.

Grade 12

• The portfolio will contain fivepieces.

• One piece will represent eachkind of writing specified in the “CoreContent for Assessment” (reflective[letter to the reviewer], personal, lit-erary, transactive) plus one choicefrom either the personal, literary ortransactive category.

• At least two pieces must comefrom a content area other than En-glish/language arts.

The proposed state regulation (703KAR 4:120) also includes strategies forreducing time required for writingportfolio preparation and scoring. Theregulation reiterates the need for teach-ers to receive professional develop-ment focused on the types of writingassessed in the portfolios.

The regulation calls for schools anddistricts to develop scoring proceduresthat reduce the number of portfoliosscored by any teacher to a maximumof 30 by providing an adequate num-ber of teachers on the school scoringteam. Any teacher can voluntarily agreeto score more than 30 portfolios.

Also included are specifications forreducing the time required for portfoliopreparation:

• Collect portfolio pieces in yearsother than when the student’s portfo-lio is due.

• Narrow the focus of portfolioconferences.

• Choose writing tasks that relateto content being studied in class.

• Choose content-area reading tounderstand content and explore writ-ing forms at the same time.

The changes in portfolios will bediscussed with regional writing port-folio cluster leaders during trainingsessions set for various dates fromNov. 13 to Dec. 2. At those sessions,the Department of Education will dis-tribute “Saving Time With WritingPortfolios,” a booklet of time-savingstrategies compiled by experiencedclassroom teachers. The departmentwill distribute the booklet to districtsand schools as soon as copies are avail-able.

State board moves to reducenumber of portfolio pieces

A public hearing on the regulationis scheduled for Nov. 30 at 10 a. m. inthe State Board Room of the CapitalPlaza Tower in Frankfort. The hearingis open to the public. Anyone wishingto comment at the hearing or submitcomments on the regulation can no-tify Associate Commissioner Kevin M.Noland, Kentucky Department of Edu-cation, 500 Mero St., Frankfort, KY4060l.

A copy of the proposed regulationis available from Starr Lewis, Humani-ties Branch manager in the Divisionof Curriculum Development, at (502)564-9855 or by e-mail through theKETS global listing or [email protected].

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb

p

IN CONFERENCE — Teacher Gwen Ferguson and student Sarah Maggardenjoy a light moment as they confer about a writing assignment at HattieC. Warner Elementary in Jessamine County. Ferguson is one ofKentucky’s four winners in the Milken Family Foundation’s NationalEducator Awards Program for 1998.


COMMONWEALTH ACC

TEST AREAS

GRADE4

GRADE5

GRADE6

Norm-Referenced Test(Reading, Math, Language Arts)

Reading24 Multiple Choice6 Open Response

Mathematics24 Multiple Choice6 Open Response

Science24 Multiple Choice6 Open Response

Social Studies24 Multiple Choice6 Open Response

Writing PortfoliosGrade 4 — 4 piecesGrade 7 — 5 piecesGrade 12 — 5 pieces

Writing On Demand Student chooses one of two prompts

C A T SC A T SC A T SC A T S

CATSC A T SC A T SC A T S



Practical Living & Vocational Studies8 Multiple Choice2 Open Response


Arts and Humanities8 Multiple Choice2 Open Response






EXITINGPRIMARY



COUNTABILITY TESTING SYSTEMGRADE

7GRADE

8GRADE

9GRADE

10GRADE

11GRADE

12

C A T SC A T SC A T SC A T S C A T SC A T SC A T SC A T S











Crafting of the assessment por-tion of Kentucky’s new testingsystem is complete. CTBS/

McGraw-Hill has started designing thetests that will be given April 19-30,1999, to Kentucky students in grades4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12. Students intheir final year of primary and grades6 and 9 will take the CTBS/5, a norm-referenced test.

It is now up to the Kentucky Boardof Education to determine how studentscores on those tests will be used tomake schools and districts accountablefor student achievement. The boardplans to make many of those decisionswhen it meets on Dec. 8 and 9 inFrankfort. As part of Kentucky’s regu-latory process, any decisions made bythe state board are subject topublichearings and approval by two legisla-tive committees.

The board will consider recom-mendations from the School Curricu-lum, Assessment and AccountabilityCouncil, composed of teachers, admin-istrators, parents and business lead-ers, and from the education commu-nity and general public. The board willdo the following at its regular meet-ing:

• Examine numerous account-ability formulas, including how touse the performance of students overtime.

• Decide how much weight thenorm-referenced test of basic skills

will have in any accountability mod-els it proposes.

• Examine models for several fac-tors:

*Categorizing student performanceand deciding the number of catego-ries.*Determining the definition of asuccessful school and what perfor-mance level would signal the needfor state-authorized assistance.* Distributing rewards to success-ful schools.*Determining how schools willqualify for assistance and what theassistance might include. Theboard will decide the process for ascholastic audit; how to assignhighly skilled educators to schoolsidentified as needing assistance;and how to distribute Common-wealth School Improvement Funds.• Determine how accountability

can be achieved for students and dis-tricts.

• Decide on the contents of theSchool Report Card that must be sentto all parents in each Kentuckyschool.

The Kentucky Board of Educationand the Department of Education areinterested in your opinions on theseproposals. Send any issues or concernsabout accountability to Robyn Oatley,director of community relations, byphone at (502) 564-3421 or by e-mail [email protected].

You can still comment

CATS accountabilitymodels will take shapein December

C A T SC A T SGREAT START TO THE DAY — Veterans Park Elementary Principal Cathy CrumBell gets her traditional morning hug from student Caywood Coleman. Bell is oneof four Kentucky educators to win the 1998 National Educator Award in aprogram sponsored by the Milken Family Foundation.

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb


In September, Kentucky Teacher Forum invited teachers to answer two questions about schoolsafety:

1. Are you making any changes to help you and your students feel safer at school?2. Who has the major responsibility for making schools safe?

Here are three teachers’ responses, edited to fit in this space.

Kentucky Teacher

FORUMOpen discussion about public education

Teachers share thoughtson school safety

Sherry S. Osborne8th-grade Spanish teacherSouth Laurel Middle School (Laurel County)

We are making the following changes to help our students feel safer atschool:

• Revising our current crisis interventionplan;

• Implementing a NO backpack policy;• Implementing a “What’s Up?” student

questionnaire to be used during our advisor/advisee time each Monday morning;

• Implementing more “one-on-one” withour students.

We feel that the major responsibility formaking our schools safe lies with everyone inour community.

Brett N. BeaversonArt teacherNorthern Elementary (Fayette County)

In response to the question “Are you mak-ing any changes to help you and your stu-dents feel safer in school?” I am compelled toexpand it to our institutes for higher learning.They too have a responsibility to educate andinform tomorrow’s teachers and administra-tors about safe school practices.

To his credit, Leonard T. Burns at EasternKentucky University required ... students tosearch the Internet for sites with informationon keeping schools safe. He established alistserv for the class to trade links so all wouldbenefit. The culminating activity for the class was constructing a PowerPointpresentation about strategies for keeping schools safe.

It is encouraging that this type of training is taking place for tomorrow’s in-structors and instructional leaders.

Cathy FieldsSpecial education teacherWest Whitesburg Elementary (Letcher County)

We have never really had a serious safety problem at our school. However, Ithink we can attribute that to good luck. So in response to recent publicized

events ... we have, as a school, implementedseveral new safety measures.

Our school was built in the early ’70s when“open classrooms” were all the rage. So ourphysical arrangement was not something thatwe could easily change. ...

During the school day all (more than 30)doors are kept locked except for the main frontdoors that lead to the lobby in front of theprincipal’s office. No one is allowed entry tothe school building other than through thesefront doors. We even turn fellow teachers downwho are in a hurry to get to their classrooms inthe morning. ...

Another measure we have taken is in dis-missal procedures. Our school has a large num-ber of students who are picked up by their par-ents. ... We have now implemented a sign-outprocedure. ... As the bus riders leave the class-rooms, each “pick-up student” stays back inhis or her classroom under the supervision ofa teacher. There, each parent or designated per-son must sign his or her name beside thestudent’s name before the child is allowed toleave. Each teacher who is responsible for thesign-out sheets has a list of names of peoplewho have been designated by parents as those

who may pick up their children. This list has the Social Security number of eachperson. If someone new comes to pick up a student, that person is asked tosupply his or her Social Security number.

This procedure may take time, but we, as a school and community, feel thatthese measures are well worth the time and trouble.

Kentucky Teacher invites your responsesto Forum questions. Your comments arewelcome on this month’s topic (see

Page 2) or any education-related topic.

Geography Institute set for summer 1999

The Kentucky Geographic Alli-ance and the National Geo-graphic Society will sponsor the

1999 Summer Geography Institute,planned for June 20-July 2 at MurrayState University. The institute willshowcase Murray State’s geographytechnology resources and spotlight therole of technology in geography in-struction.

The institute also will examine therole of integrated geography instruc-tion in preparing students for the five-area social studies core of the newCommonwealth Accountability TestingSystem. Elementary, middle and highschool teachers will have the oppor-tunity to work with Kentucky Geo-graphic Alliance teacher-consultants to

examine the most effective ways torelate geography standards to the so-cial studies core content.

Also featured will be field trips tothe Land Between The Lakes,Paducah, Columbus Belmont Park andpossibly a local industry.

All participants may apply for sixhours of college credit, free room and

board, and reimbursement for mileage.All will receive maps, computer soft-ware and other resources. For moreinformation, contact Carlisle Countysocial studies teacher Tom Wilson bye-mail at [email protected]; by U.S. mailat 106 Camelot Lane, Apt. G, Mayfield,KY 42066; or by phone during eveninghours at (502) 247-1286.

[email protected]

(502) 564-3421 or (800) 533-5372 (toll free in Kentucky)

(502) 564-6470

Kentucky Teacher1914 Capital Plaza Tower500 Mero St.Frankfort, KY 40601

E-mail

Phone

Fax

Write

Teachers: Kentucky Teacher wants to know what you think, what you need from the Department of Education, what you want to see in future issues.

Talk to us!


may be repeated from the previoustest.

In October, subcommitteemembers looked at statistics fromthe actual performance of Kentuckystudents on individual test questions.With training from representatives ofWestEd, one of the state’s assess-ment subcontractors, the Kentuckyeducators selected and refinedmultiple choice and open-responsequestions for the 1999 test forms.

Pretest items also were writtenor identified. These potential testquestions will be embedded in eachtest form given this spring. Statisticswill be gathered by WestEd on howsuccessfully students answer thepretest items. However, the pretestitems will not count for school or

Cats QuestionsFrom Page 1

Listservs add new dimensionto professional networking

student accountability.The test questions selected and

developed by these subcommitteeshave been sent to WestEd and, incollaboration with CTB/McGraw-Hill,will be fine tuned and checked fortechnical soundness.

A bias review committeecomprised of parents, administratorsand representatives of diverse groupswas scheduled to evaluate the testquestions in early November for “redflag” items — biases in gender,geographic, economic or culturalareas.

The Department of Educationalso will review the questions. Thetest questions then will go back toWestEd for completion of the actualtest forms.


Are you ready to “boldly go”where hundreds of other Kentucky eduu p.cation profession-

als already are? If so, take to the informa-tion highway via www.uky.edu/Education/kylists.html.

Just that quickly, you are loggedon to the University of Kentucky’s Website for electronic mailing lists, orlistservs, that connect you to interestgroups with which you can exchangeprofessional ideas, ask for assistanceor share education solutions.Cyberspace networking can be doneat your convenience — 24 hours a day,seven days a week.

If you have an e-mail address atschool or at home, you can subscribeto electronic discussion groups in anynumber of the 18 teacher-specific listsoffered at the UK site. Day or night,you can converse with or receive e-mail from people throughout the state— and sometimes around the world— who share your interests on spe-cific education topics.

There are discussion groups forprimary and middle school teachersand for teachers in content areas andelectives. You can “talk” with otherteachers of migrant students, writingproject evaluators and technologyleaders.

Assessment, technology and pro-fessional development coordinatorshave electronic conversations, as docounselors, personnel in family re-source and youth services centers, andmembers of associations for speech-language-hearing and school publicrelations.

The discussion lists areunmoderated, which means no onescreens messages before they are sentto list subscribers. Still, basic rules ofInternet etiquette are good to keep inmind. “Netiquette” guidelines andother details about listservs and howto participate are posted atwww.paducah.k12.ky.us/kydtc/kydtcfaq.htm.

Who’s talkingand listening?

Bill Stilwell at the Departmentof Educational and CounselingPsychology at the University ofKentucky “owns” and coordi-nates the education listservsrouted through UK’s server. Lastmonth, he ran totals on howmany e-mail addresses are sub-scribed to each of the 48 discus-sion groups at www.uky.edu/Education/kylists.html.

Here is a sampling of theKentucky education listservsand the number of subscribersto each list (as of October):

Arts and Humanities Teach-ers - 174 subscribers

District Assessment Coordi-nators - 131 subscribers

Primary Teachers - 86 sub-scribers

Foreign Language Teachers- 83 subscribers

Guidance Counselors - 84subscribers

Middle School Teachers -127 subscribers

P-12 Principals - 161 sub-scribers

Social Studies Teachers - 106subscribers

Title I Coordinators - 153subscribers

Writing Project Evaluators -188 subscribers

District technology coordi-nators have separate regionallists with between 25 and 50subscribers in each region.

If you have questions about thelistservs or would like to start alistserv on a specific topic or for anew group, contact Stilwell by e-mail at [email protected].

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb

INTENT ON LEARNING — Eleven-year-old Lemar Collier concentratesduring mathematics class at Wheeler Elementary in Jefferson County tolearn more about decimals and place values.


Two reports released by the Ken-tucky Department of Educationlast month have good news

about the performance of Kentuckystudents and schools. Students scorednear the national average on the Com-prehensive Test of Basic Skills SurveyEdition (CTBS/5) that was adminis-tered last year in grades 3, 6 and 9.Additionally, nonacademic data col-lected by schools and districts in the1996-97 school year show that drop-out and retention rates are decliningwhile attendance and rates of success-ful transition to adult life continue toincrease.

Results from the CTBS/5 show thatKentucky students continue to scoreat the national average of 50 in read-ing, language arts and mathematics,indicating a competitive performancein the basic skills.

“The basic overall strengths ofKentucky’s teachers and schools comethrough in these reports,” said Educa-tion Commissioner Wilmer S. Cody.

“Other testreports alsoshow thatwe are mak-ing solidgains in skilland contentareas that gowell beyondthe basics.”

The 1998CTBS scoreswill not countin determin-ing a school’s rating under Kentucky’saccountability formula. However, theKentucky Board of Education decidedlast month to include future CTBSscores, beginning in 1999, in the newCommonwealth Accountability TestingSystem (CATS). How much the scoresfrom the norm-referenced tests willcount will be decided at the board’smeeting in December. (See story onPage 10.) The nonacademic data willbe included in schools’ accountabil-

Showcases will unveil new education resources

’98 CTBS scores, ’97 nonacademic dataoffer good news about students

dropping in six of the state’s eight ser-vice center regions and in five of thesix grades counted in the dropout mea-sure.

Retention rates declined to 3.52percent of students, the first declinein four years. (Retention rates mea-sure the percentage of students whomust repeat a grade or who earn in-sufficient credits in high school toqualify for the next grade level.)

More than 95 percent of 1997graduates made a successful transitionto adult life. Fifty-one percent enteredcollege, 4.8 percent enrolled in a tech-nical school, 3.1 percent joined themilitary and 30.4 percent entered thework force. Those combining part-timework with part-time schooling madeup 5.9 percent.

Average daily attendance exceeded94 percent. Since 1993, statewide at-tendance has fluctuated slightly be-tween 94 percent and 95 percent.

ity ratingsfor 1998.

The non-a cadem i cd a t ashowed thefol lowingabout Ken-tucky stu-dents:

• Fewers tuden t sare drop-

ping out of school.• Fewer students are failing classes

or grades.• Attendance and student transi-

tion to a successful adult life continueat high levels.

• More high school graduates areentering college.

The middle and high school drop-out rates, which had been creepingupward since 1993, declined in 1997.The reduction was almost uniform,

A series of showcases scheduled for December, January and Februarywill present new textbooks and instructional materials in the areas of artsand humanities, foreign languages, driver education, health/physical educa-tion, and reading/literature. The showcases will give P-12 teachers, adminis-trators, parents and university students opportunities to preview both state-adopted and supplementary printed and electronic resources.

Carol Tuning, instructional resources consultant for the Department ofEducation’s Division of Curriculum Development, will conduct a session ateach showcase on selection and purchasing guidelines. Publishers will pro-vide refreshments.

Dec. 8, Executive Inn West, Louisville, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. ETJan. 12, James Madison Middle School, Madisonville, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CTJan. 19, Drakes Creek Middle School, Bowling Green, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CTJan. 20, College View Middle School, Owensboro, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CTJan. 21, Elizabethtown High School, Elizabethtown, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETJan. 25, Heath High School, Paducah, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CTJan. 26, South Oldham High School, Crestwood, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 27, Paul L. Dunbar High School, Lexington, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETJan. 28, Summit View School, Independence, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 1, Graves County High School, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CTFeb. 2, Boyle County High School, Danville, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 3, Rowan County High School, Morehead, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 16, Perry County Central High School, Hazard, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 17, Pike County Central High School, Pikeville, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 18, Johnson Central High School, Paintsville, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 23, Bell County Middle School, Pineville, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 24, Southwestern Pulaski County High School, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ETFeb. 25, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET

Inclement weather may force the use of alternate dates during March. Thedepartment will post schedule changes on the Web. Go to www.kde.state.ky.usand select Curriculum and Testing, then Textbooks/Instructional Materials.

For additional information on these showcases, call Carol Tuning at (502)564-2106 or e-mail [email protected].

p


KET professional developmentprograms include subscription

and free seminars

Kentucky Educational Televisionhas scheduled a number of educationprofessional development programs inNovember. Some are available to paidsubscribers only; others are free to alldistricts and schools. For registrationand information, call KET ProfessionalDevelopment at (800) 432-0951.

Subscription programs

These KET professional develop-ment seminars are protected by fed-eral copyright. Only schools and dis-tricts that have registered and paidhave permission to tape and use them.

• Foreign Language Swapshop:Program 1 — first in a three-part se-ries for teachers at all grade levels

• Teaching the Writer With SpecialNeeds — for high school teachers only(Programs on this topic will be airedlater in the school year for elementaryand middle school teachers.)

• Light and Darkness in the Age ofElectricity — with UK ProfessorRaymond Betts; for teachers at allgrade levels

• The Arts: A Content Course forTeachers/Dance — second of fourparts; for teachers at all grade levels

• Transforming Middle SchoolsThrough Different Ways of Knowing:Program 1 — first of four; middleschool level administrators and teach-ers only

Free to schools

• Richard Davis on JazzTwo 30-minute programs: Jazz In-

struments — Piano and BassFriday, Nov. 6, 3-4 p.m. ET (2-3

p.m. CT)• The Big 6 Approach to Teaching

ResearchTwo 90-minute programsElementary: Nov. 20, 4-5:30 p.m.

ET (3-4:30 p.m. CT)Secondary: Nov. 20, 5:30-7 p.m. ET

(4:30-6 p.m. CT)

Note: Did you miss a program thatinterests you? Copies of these programsare available on video tape from KET.

Watch ‘Inside Kentucky Schools’Second and fourth Saturdays of every month

Noon ET on KET5:30 p.m. on KET2

Half-hour video magazine about students, teachersand programs in Kentucky’s public schools.

See program information on the Department of EducationWeb site: www.kde.state.ky.us

“Education Pays” writing contest offers prizes

School council handbook availableon equity in recruitment and hiring

Kentucky 7th-graders can flex theirwriting skills and compete for prizes ina new “Education Pays” writing con-test. Winners at school and regionallevels have a chance to capture the topprize: a $500 U.S. Savings Bond.

“Education Pays” is a program thatreinforces the fact that better educationequals a more prepared work force anda higher quality of life for all Kentuck-ians.

The writing topic for the competi-tion is “Why education is important tomy future.” Entries may be articles,editorials, speeches, letters, poems,short stories or other writing forms. Stu-dents have up to 250 words to convincetheir audiences that education is impor-tant to them and all young people.

Each participating school will selectone entry to receive a $20 prize andadvance to competition in one of the16 Kentucky High School Athletic As-sociation regions. All school-level win-

ners must be entered in regional com-petition by Dec. 15.

Regional entries will be scored inJanuary during a reunion of alumni ofthe Governor’s Scholars Program. Thescholars will base their scoring on arubric developed by the Kentucky De-partment of Education’s writing consult-ants, who will train the scholars andoversee the scoring process.

Regional prizes are a $100 U.S. Sav-ings Bond for first place and a $50 bondfor second place. The 16 regional win-ners advance to the state contest andcompete for the top prizes: a $500 U.S.Savings Bond for first place, a $200 bondfor second place and a $100 bond forthird place.

The regional finalists and thetop three state-level writers will beannounced at a news conferencenext spring in Frankfort. For moreinformation, visit the “EducationPays” Web site at www.state.ky.us/agencies/gov/educpays.htm.

A new manual, “RecruitmentHandbook for School Councils,” givesschool councils guidelines and infor-mation about enacting policies thatensure equity in hiring. The KentuckyDepartment of Education’s Division ofMinority Educator Recruitment andRetention published the manual andis distributing it at no cost to councilsstatewide.

The handbook offers 25 ways toachieve diversity in public schools.Also included are lists of minoritycommunity organizations, minoritypublications and suggested readingson minority teacher recruitment.

The department’s new CouncilDevelopment Branch recommendsthat school councils establish person-nel policies for minority recruitment,hiring and retention. School person-nel policies should explicitly includethe following:

• An expectation that the superin-tendent will include qualified minori-

ties in every list of applicants sent tothe council for every vacant position;

• An expectation that the interviewcommittee, council or principal will in-terview one or more minority appli-cants for every vacant position;

• A requirement that the schoolcouncil review the school district’sminority recruitment and retentionplan and policies each school year toensure that new and continuing coun-cil members are apprised of thedistrict’s efforts to recruit minorityapplicants.

During the consolidated planningprocess, schools and districts also maywant to collect data on the number ofminority applicants and minority em-ployees.

For more information about this newpublication, contact Sue Boden, CouncilDevelopment Branch, at (502) 564-4201or [email protected].


Bulletin BoardBulletin BoardBulletin BoardBulletin BoardBulletin BoardTHE

KAAC conference set for Louisville

The Kentucky Association of Assessment Coordinators

(KAAC) will host its fall assessment conference — “From

KIRIS to CATS” — on Dec. 7 at the Galt House in Louisville.

Because the state’s assessment program is undergoing

changes, this conference will be geared toward administra-

tors who have responsibility for implementing the state-

wide assessment in their buildings. Superintendents, prin-

cipals and central office administrators are encouraged to

attend.CONTACT: Lou Spencer, KAAC executive director, Oldham

County Schools, (502) 222-8880; [email protected]

Statewide poster contest to promote“Spring Clean Kentucky”Students in grades P-8 are invited to create posters promot-ing Commonwealth Cleanup Week in Kentucky, March 20-27,1999.The theme is “Spring Clean Kentucky,” and winning stu-dents in three grade groups will receive a $100 U.S. SavingsBond. The students’ schools will receive $1,500 grants for en-vironmental education.The contest is sponsored by the Kentucky Natural Resourcesand Environmental Protection Cabinet.CONTACT: Mark York, (502) 564-3350; the cabinet Web siteat www.nr.state.ky.us

Yes I Can!The international Foundation for Exceptional Children asks edu-cators to help promote its “Yes I Can!” program by nominating chil-dren and youth with disabilities for recognition.Established in 1981, the “Yes I Can!” program acknowledges theachievements of children and youth with disabilities and encouragesthem to seek their highest potential. The awards recognize individu-als for academics, arts, athletics, community service, employment,extracurricular activities or independent living skills.The deadline for nominations is Jan. 4, 1999. Thirty-five interna-tional award winners will be recognized at the Council for Excep-tional Children’s annual convention in the spring of 1999 in Char-lotte, N.C.

CONTACT: Foundation for Exceptional Children, 1920 Associa-tion Dr., Reston, VA 20191; www.cec.sped.org

KETC ’99 featuresnationally known speakersThe 1999 Kentucky Education Technol-ogy Conference (KETC), scheduled forMarch 4-6 at the Commonwealth Conven-tion Center in Louisville, promises to be ashowcase of the latest educational technol-ogy uses by Kentucky administrators, librarymedia specialists, teachers and students.The 1999 conference theme is “Promot-ing the Entrepreneurial Spirit.” Judi Harris,the invited featured speaker, will discuss herNetwork-Based Educational Activity Struc-tures. Harris, a faculty member at the Uni-versity of Texas at Austin, joins researcherDavid L. Brittain, author Doug Johnson, re-searcher David Thornburg and past Inter-national Society for Technology and Educa-tion (ISTE) president Lajeane Thomas in animpressive lineup of speakers.Exhibits will be an integral part of theconference. Last year’s conference featuredapproximately 300 vendor exhibits. Someof the unique features of the KETC exhibi-tion area are ShowNet, the KETSCyberC@fe, the Student Showcase and theCyberGazette.CONTACT: Lydia Wells Sledge, Divisionof Customer Support Service, 19th Floor,500 Mero St., Frankfort, KY 40601; (502)564-7168; [email protected]; on theWeb at www.kde.state.ky.us/ketc99

Kentucky teachers, administrators can study in Japan

Kentucky primary and secondary teachers and administrators can apply to par-

ticipate in a three-week study visit to Japan. Three groups of educators will travel to

Japan in June, October and November of 1999. The Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher

Program is fully funded by the government of Japan.

Teachers involved in the program will visit schools, educational and government

centers as well as cultural sites in and around Tokyo. They will have the opportunity

to meet with Japanese teachers and students, to visit a teachers’ college and to talk

with education, government and industry officials. Participants also spend one week-

end with a Japanese host family.

Deadline for application to the program is Jan. 11, 1999. Each application must

include a two-part essay describing a plan to use the knowledge they gain in the

program when they return to their classrooms, schools and communities.

To request an application packet, call the Institute of International Education at

(800) 527-2636 or visit the organization’s Web site at www.iie.org/pgms/fmf. A lim-

ited number of application packets are available through the Kentucky Department

of Education at (800) 533-5372.

By Lisa Y. GrossKentucky Department of Education

Kentucky TeacherKentucky Teacher

Kentucky Department of Education Wilmer S. Cody, Commissioner

Kentucky Teacher is published by the Kentucky Department of Education for teach-ers, school administrators, counselors, support staff, parents, students, legislators,community leaders and others with a stake in public education. Please addresscorrespondence to Kentucky Teacher, 1914 Capital Plaza Tower, 500 Mero St., Frank-fort, KY 40601; e-mail [email protected].

The Kentucky Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race,color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provi-sion of services. Alternate formats of this publication are available upon request.

Printed with state funds by the Winchester Sun, Winchester, Ky.,on recycled paper

Commissioner of Education

Associate Commissionerfor Communications and Planning

DirectorDivision of Public Information

Editor

Copy Writers

Photographer

Graphics and Design

Wilmer S. Cody

Hunt Helm

Armando Arrastia

Fran Salyers

Sharon Crouch FarmerFaun S. Fishback

Lisa York Gross

Rick McComb

Susie Morrow, ManagerBarbara Burch

Bill DavisMichael Gray

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Pho

to b

y R

ick

McC

omb

NOVEMBER 1998

News for the Nation’s Most Innovative Educators

NOVEMBER 1998

Kentucky Teacher

STAR TEACHER, STAR LEARNER — Teacher Mary Ann Payton and student StacyJackson collaborate on an astronomy project at Central City Elementary School inMuhlenberg County. Payton and three other Kentucky teachers recently receivedthe Milken Family Foundation’s National Educator Award for 1998.

State board changes high school testing ............ 1

When portfolios count, writing improves ............. 2

“Forum” asks about alternative certification ........ 2

Practical lessons for practical living ................. 3-5

Web site breathes life into history, humanities .... 6

More about CATS: .......................................... 7-10

•’99 accountability and portfolio information

•Pull-out chart: What grades will take what tests?

Teachers respond on school safety issues ....... 11

Listservs bring educators together .................... 12

1997 CTBS scores released ............................. 13

Instructional materials showcases scheduled ... 13

News and resources for teachers ............... 14, 15

In this issue...

Kentucky TeacherN

on-P

rofit

Org

aniz

atio

nU

.S. P

osta

gePA

IDW

inch

este

r, K

entu

cky

Per

mit

No.

7

“This format will more evenly distribute responsibility,enhance student accountability and give schools more timeto provide extra help to students who need it.”

Kentucky Board of Education Chairwoman Helen Mountjoyon the redistribution of state accountability system tests.See Pages 1 and 7-10.

p

WEB KT NOV 98 - Kentuckye-archives.ky.gov/pubs/Education/Nov98KYT.pdf · By Wilmer S. Cody...

Documents

Transcript of WEB KT NOV 98 - Kentuckye-archives.ky.gov/pubs/Education/Nov98KYT.pdf · By Wilmer S. Cody...