The Kentucky Alternate Assessment Project (KAAP) has a rich history; as a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) 1990, Kentucky was the first state to offer an inclusive educational assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities included in accountability. Since the first assessment, KAAP has spearheaded national efforts for inclusive assessment accountability. These pioneering projects occurred prior to federal mandates for accountability systems or mandates for the inclusion of children with disabilities in the accountability systems. Original project staff continue to provide leadership on the national and state levels through national projects, congressional testimony, and ongoing state support.

The current Kentucky Alternate Assessment Project is designed to include students with significant cognitive disabilities in the statewide school accountability system as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The KY Alternate Assessment Project is composed of four measures, two academic and two career or technical.
The two academic components are:
– the Attainment Tasks which are an alternate assessment for the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (KPREP) academic assessment in the content areas of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science.
– The Transition Attainment Record (TAR) which is the alternate assessment for the college preparatory tests (e.g., SAT, ACT).
The two career components are:
-the Employability Skills Attainment Record (ESAR) which indicates how well students are prepared to complete specific job skills as they relate to the Kentucky Occupational Skill Standards Assessment.
– the Career Work Experience Certification (CWEC) which indicates completion of a series of preparatory courses equivalent to Career and Technical Education’s End of Program Assessment.

The four components measure demonstrated student performance on the various academic and/or technical components, allowing for student participation in annual accountability. High quality accessible alternate assessments promote the use of research-based, effective practice and instructional strategies, in inclusive classrooms.