Kentucky Department of Education representatives recently presented the KDE’s Framework 3.0. The new assessment and accountability framework was developed using feedback from regional town halls and a series of discussions with educational cooperatives in the Commonwealth.
Karen Dodd, the KDE’s chief performance officer, said watching presentations from the districts at the town halls was educational and inspiring.
“We had over 600 people attend our town halls in January and February. They went really, really well, and I think that we had more people attend than we even hoped would attend,” said Dodd.
The Kentucky United We Learn Council was formed to reflect on the United We Learn Report, which focuses on a more vibrant experience for every student, encouraging innovation in Kentucky schools, and collaborating with local communities to create a bold new future, and determine a course of action.
The council hosted nine town halls in 2025, where topics like assessments, student growth, and inclusion of special education were discussed. One of the meetings highlighted the collaboration between Woodford, Clark, Johnson, and Rowan counties to develop local accountability models.
Framework 3.0 includes two distinct systems: one for local accountability indicators and one for federal accountability indicators.
Jennifer Stafford, division director for KDE’s Office of Assessment and Accountability, said one of the goals of the framework is to encourage collaboration between districts rather than comparison.
“Looking at the ability to bring our districts’ community voices together to create a sense of collaboration between the schools and the districts and the members of their community,” said Stafford.
Federal accountability indicators like reading and math, English language progress, and individual student growth must meet minimum reporting requirements. Districts can determine their own local accountability standards. Other measures like writing and social studies that would be required at the state level have options for flexibility within them.
The next Kentucky United We Learn Council in-person meeting is on June 20. The goal is to have a framework to present to legislators in 2026.