KPA, KDE to sponsor seminars to explain CATS

KPA and the Kentucky Department of Education are holding a series of seminars across the state to help reporters understand the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS).

The seminars, scheduled at six locations between Aug. 19 and Aug. 26, will give reporters an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the system prior to the first release to school districts of CATS' scores on Sept. 15.

The seminars will be held at the following sites:

• Thursday, Aug. 19, 9 to 11 a.m. - Holiday Inn, Greater Cincinnati Airport, Erlanger
  

• Thursday, Aug. 19, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Embassy Suites, Newtown Pike and I-64/I-75, Lexington
  

• Friday, Aug. 20, 9 to 11 a.m. - Elizabethtown Convention and Tourism Bureau Office
  

• Friday, Aug. 20, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Central Time) - WKU South Campus, Continuing Education Conference Center, Bowling Green
  

• Thursday, Aug. 26, 9 to 11 a.m. (Central Time) - Days Inn, Madisonville
  

• Thursday, Aug. 26, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Kentucky Dam Village State Park, Gilbertsville

Robyn Oatley and Hunt Helm will conduct the seminars for KDE. Planned topics include: overview of CATS; the development process and HB 53 guidelines; long term accountability, 1998-2002; interim accountability, 1996-2000; score releases - current information for the first CATS score release; timeline for release; what information they (schools/districts/media) will receive; advance information on interpretation or implications of data; and conclude with a 30-minute Q&A period.

Registration will be handled by KPA and information has been mailed to all Kentucky newspapers. For more information call KPA at 800-264-5721.

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