Kentucky Summative Assessment(KSA)/Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA)

Grades

3-8, 10-11

Subjects Assessed

• Reading and Math: 3rd-8th grade, 10th grade
• Science: 4th, 7th, 11th
• Social Studies: 5th, 8th, 11th 
• Writing: 5th, 8th, 11th
• Editing and Mechanics: 5th, 8th, 11th

Testing Window

• Testing times vary based on grade level (120-140 minutes per content).
• Testing Items and Times Chart
• The KSA is required to be administered during the last 14 instructional days of the district's calendar. 
• The AKSA is administered during two state provided testing windows. Window 1 opens in late fall and Window 2 opens in spring. 

Purpose 

• These assessments are Kentucky’s measure of student proficiency on state content standards. The standards establish goals for what all students should know in each grade level.
• KSA is an online assessment with only a small percentage of students taking paper/pencil.
• It includes multiple choice, multiple select, technology-enhanced and constructed response questions.
• AKSA is a paper pencil assessment and includes multiple choice questions.

Reporting

• Parents typically receive students’ scores by late fall through the school and in their Infinite Campus Parent Portal accounts. 

Source of the Requirement

• Kentucky students take the Kentucky Summative Assessments (KSA) or the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) to meet federal and state testing requirements.
• 703 KAR 5:080

The ACT

Grades

• 11-No cost to students
• Students also have the opportunity to take the ACT in grades 9 & 10 at a reduced rate from the national administration price

Subjects Assessed

• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science

Testing Window

• Timed test that allows for 175 minutes for a standard time student without approved extended time accommodations.
• The state window for Junior ACT testing is in March. District ACT testing windows are held in the fall and spring for 9th and 10th graders.
• More information can be found on the Kentucky ACT website.

Purpose 

• The ACT is used as a college admissions exam to measure students’ level of readiness for college in core academic content areas.
• Meeting benchmarks on the ACT is one way students may demonstrate academic readiness in the Postsecondary Readiness indicator of the state’s accountability system for schools.
• The ACT junior spring administration is an online-based examination. Paper testing will only be available for accommodations with no online equivalent, including Non-College Reportable (NCR) accommodations.

Reporting

• Students participating in State Testing may view their score reports on the free MyACT student account.
• College reportable scores are available online three to eight weeks after the test date.

Source of the Requirement

• Senate Bill 59 Amends KRS 158.6453 to delete the tenth-grade college admissions examination. Therefore, only Grade 11 students will take a college admissions exam in the spring of each school year.