KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS ANDREW JOHNSON BUILDING Dr. James P. McIntyre Jr., Superintendent

MEMORANDUM

To: From: Date:

Subject:

Chair and Members Knox County Board of Education Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. Superintendent October 28, 2014

SAT-10 Assessment in Kindergarten

I want to thank the School Board for the important and substantive discussion we have been engaged in regarding assessment of student academic progress, particularly in the early grades. This is not a new conversation, but one that is inextricably linked to the most essential issues of teaching and learning. After much consideration, I have decided to end the administration of the SAT-10 assessment in Kindergarten in the Knox County Schools. When first asked by the Tennessee Department of Education about the possibility of a standardized summative assessment in Kindergarten, our school system expressed its preference for a first grade pre-test instead. When the Department decided that Kindergarten would be a part of the SAT-10 assessment strategy, we decided to at least see if we could make it workable. Based on the feedback and testimony of multiple teachers, parents, principals, and other stakeholders, I have been convinced that the potentially valuable educational information this assessment provides about our Kindergarten students is outweighed by the real and perceived drawbacks of Kindergarten standardized testing. I still believe the SAT-10 is appropriate and valuable in the first and second grades, and the early literacy and numeracy information the assessment provides in these grades is urgently needed to inform critical instructional and educational decisions. Therefore, I will look to continue the administration of the SAT-10 assessment in first and second grades. Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to our continued collaboration. cc: KCS Executive Team

P.O. Box 2188 • 912 South Gay Street • Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-2188 • Telephone (865) 594-1620