Results from new state tests for Kansas students will likely be released this week. The Kansas State Board of Education will consider the results later today.
Deputy Education Commissioner Brad Neuenswander says the new tests are different and more difficult than old exams. He says setting the bar higher means scores could come in lower than some people might expect.
"You can’t compare results of this type of assessment to an old one that was just trying to say, ‘Are kids at grade level?’ It’s a totally different test and we just want to make sure people understand the difference between this test and what we were using in the past,” Neuenswander says.
Scores are expected to rise in the coming years as students get used to the new exams. Neuenswander says the goal is better assessing what students know and where they need to improve.
The new tests will group students into four levels. The top two levels are considered on track to be ready for college or a career after graduation. Information provided to parents will be more detailed in explaining what students are expected to know in each of the four levels.
