Public release of KY schools test scores will be delayed this year. Here’s why.

The Kentucky Department of Education will delay the public release of assessment and accountability scores this year to ensure the accuracy of a new science assessment students took in the final days of the 2024-2025 school year.

In 2024, scores were released to the public on Oct. 3.

Kentucky Department of Education spokesperson Jennifer Ginn said a public release date had not been set for 2025.

Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said educators, but not the public, will receive individual student scores in reading, mathematics, social studies and writing the week of Aug. 4.

“We always ensure educators have access to individual student scores as soon as possible, which this year is before the start date for almost all of our schools and districts,” Fletcher said. “

The Kentucky Summative Assessments are the test students take at specific grade levels to gauge their knowledge of the Kentucky Academic Standards in various subjects. Those assessment scores, along with a range of other data, give schools, districts and the state a rating ranging from red (lowest) to blue (the highest).

Kentucky is taking a fresh look at how it measures student learning in science. This change follows the recent update to the Kentucky Academic Standards for Science, which emphasize deeper learning and application of scientific practices.

The new assessment is designed to reflect these standards, evaluating how well students can investigate, analyze and apply scientific concepts.

In Kentucky, creating a new assessment is just the beginning. Once the test is developed, several steps are followed to ensure it accurately reflects student learning, officials said.

One key step is bringing in Kentucky teachers to help define what different levels of performance look like.

These educators work together to set student performance level descriptors –- clear descriptions of what it means to be at the novice, apprentice, proficient or distinguished level.

Afterward, Kentucky educators set performance level cuts, which determine the score ranges for each of these categories. This process ensures the assessment results are meaningful, fair, grounded in classroom experience and appropriate for inclusion in the accountability system.

Science scores are a key part of calculating overall accountability results.

“Involving teachers to define performance levels and setting cut scores takes time, but it’s time well spent,” Fletcher said. “This inclusive process helps ensure that the data shared with schools, families and communities reflects what students know and can do.”

If the standards change or shift, the test must change to meet the updated content standards. Keeping outdated tests would measure the wrong things, Fletcher told the Herald-Leader.

In the new tests, students with diverse learning needs have opportunities to demonstrate understanding. There’s streamlined text and clearer language, enabling students to concentrate on science concepts without an unnecessary reading load. The new format offers a more representative sampling of science topics giving a fuller picture of student learning across domains.”

This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 1:43 PM.