Kentucky Policies and Practices for Assessment in Music Education

The chapter provides a detailed account of the past, present, and future of Kentucky policies and practices for assessment in music education (1992–2016). Kentucky (Kentucky Department of Education, 1990) was a leader in systemic education reform and development of arts (dance, drama/theatre, music, visual arts) assessments. Three generations of music assessment models may provide direction in the design of a large-scale data-driven school-accountability arts assessment system. These are: first generation (1992–1998), Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS); second generation (1998–2009), Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS), focused on individualized student music assessments; and third generation (2009–2016), Unbridled Learning Accountability Model: Next-Generation Instructional Programs and Support with Program Reviews, addressing arts (music) assessments for the evaluation of quality programs. From 2002 to 2006, the Kentucky Music Education Association (KMEA) partnered with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) in an experiment using listening prompts versus written prompts in CATS test items.