Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB257: AN ACT relating to the education assessment and accountability system.
Status: Signed into law, April 13, 2026
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; permit local school districts to develop and implement a local accountability system; require data publication on the local accountability system; require the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to provide technical assistance in the development of local accountability; permit KDE to incentivize local accountability; set the time frame for requiring local accountability in all local school districts; authorize the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate necessary administrative regulations; amend KRS 158.6453 to update terminology regarding academic standards; remove specific writing and editing and mechanics as required summative assessments; require KDE to incorporate a writing program into academic standards and professional development; require school-based decision making councils to adopt a writing program policy and publish it on the school's website; remove requirement for KDE to establish recommendations on using preliminary assessment data to identify students for advanced coursework; amend KRS 158.6455 to add individual student growth metric and student engagement as state indicators in the accountability system, remove quality of school climate and safety as state indicator, remove "status" and "change" metrics from state accountability system; amend KRS 158.6459, 164.7874, and 157.069 to conform.
What the bill says
From the enrolled text:
RS HB 257 Doc ID: XXXX FREE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT HB The Free Conference Committee on has met as provided in the Rules of the House and Senate and hereby reports the following to be adopted: GA SCS 1 SCS HCS For the above-referenced bill, with these amendments (if applicable): Committee (list by chamber and number): ; Floor (list by chamber and number): SFA 6 ; and The following Free Conference Committee and On page 17, after line 13, insert the following: " 5. Until June 30, 2030, targeted quality measures, which shall include a measure of the change from the prior school year on the following factors: a. The percentage of certified teachers within the school and district who have attained: i. Rank II status or higher as determined by the Education Professional Standards Board; or ii. Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; b. For schools and districts containing students in grade eight (8), the percentage of students earning at least one (1) high school credit upon the completion of the student's grade eight (8) school year; and c. For schools and districts containing students in grade twelve (12), the percentage of graduating students who have: i. Completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by the RS HB 257 Doc ID: XXXX student's graduation date; …