Frequently asked questions about Kentucky's Core Content Tests:

        My child goes to Catholic school. How do I gauge that?

        The Diocese of Covington, with 30 elementary schools, measures performance using TeraNova, a McGraw-Hill published norm-based reference test. Students do not take the Kentucky Core Content Test. TeraNova is administered in grades one, three, five and seven.

        Some diocesan schools share the test results with parents and school boards. “Our whole philosophy on testing is completely different than a public school,” said Ray Hildebrand, education consultant to the Diocese of Covington, who oversees the testing process.

        The diocese uses scores to “assess the individual child and assess curriculum. We never use them for ranking schools, ranking students. It's only one test; you can't take it in isolation.”

        The nine high schools in the diocese do not administer standardized tests to their students, but those students do take the ACT and SAT college admissions tests.

        Are learning-disabled children's scores factored into these scores?

        Yes. All students with mild to moderate disabilities take the same tests as the general population and are allowed to use any accommodations listed in their Individual Education Plans, or 504 Plans, when testing.

        Students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities would typically be in this group. Severe and profoundly disabled students use the Alternate portfolio to measure learning.

        What happens if a child scores high or low as an individual?

        The Kentucky Core Content Test examines performance of schools, not individuals, but teachers and parents can use test results to gauge where a student is academically and set an improvement plan accordingly.

        In Ohio, proficiency-test results can determine whether a pupil advances to the next grade. Is that true in Kentucky?

        No. Kentucky students aren't held accountable for their own individual performances, nor will results affect promotions.

        How can I help my child study for the next Kentucky Core Content Test?

        Other than the focus on everyday core learning, there's nothing specifically students can do to “study” for the test. “If you have to study for it, it defeats the purpose,” said Lisa Gross, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Education.

        But, the department does recommend parents: discuss the curriculum with school faculty, and go over report-card strengths and weaknesses with your child's teachers.

        Why do Kentucky children take both the Kentucky Core Content Test and the nationally standardized Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS)?

        The Kentucky Core Content test is developed for Kentucky children with the goals of the Kentucky Education Reform Act(KERA) and specific Kentucky curriculum in mind.

        The CTBS is a national test that allows state educators to compare Kentucky students with others across the nation.

        So, taking both allows a measurement of students along the goals of the state — which is ahead of many other states in its education reform — and allows a picture of how Kentucky students do in the national pool.

        — Tom O'Neill

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