Admission into Preparation Programs :
Kentucky

Analysis of Kentucky's policies

Kentucky does not require all aspiring teachers to pass a test of academic proficiency as a criterion for admission to teacher preparation programs or any time thereafter. Rather, the state has candidate admission standards only for programs identified as low performing. Candidates applying to identified programs must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and provide evidence of academic competency by means of the following criteria: a minimum composite score of 21 on the ACT, a minimum composite score of a 1,470 on the SAT, a minimum score on the GRE established by the teacher preparation program, or a state-determined passing score on the Praxis I basic skills test.

Further, although the state requires that programs develop a plan of selection that includes "tests to measure general academic proficiency," passing a basic skills test is just one of the options, and none of the options ensures that candidates are in the top half of the college-going population.

Citation

Kentucky Administrative Regulations 16 KAR 5:020

Recommendations for Kentucky

Require all teacher candidates, not just those teaching in low-performing schools, to pass a test of academic proficiency that assesses reading, writing and mathematics skills as a criterion for admission to teacher preparation programs.
Teacher preparation programs that do not screen candidates end up investing considerable resources in individuals who may not be able to successfully complete the program and pass licensing tests. Candidates needing additional support should complete remediation prior to program entry, avoiding the possibility of an unsuccessful investment of significant public tax dollars.

Require preparation programs to use a common test normed to the general college-bound population.
The basic skills tests in use in most states largely assess middle school-level skills.  To improve the selectivity of teacher candidates—a common characteristic in countries whose students consistently outperform ours in international comparisons—Kentucky should require an assessment that demonstrates that candidates are academically competitive with all peers, regardless of their intended profession. Requiring a common test normed to the general college population would allow for the selection of applicants in the top half of their class, as well as facilitate program comparison.  

Exempt candidates with comparable SAT or ACT scores.
Kentucky should waive the basic skills test requirement for candidates whose SAT or ACT scores demonstrate that they are in the top half of their class.

State response to our analysis

Kentucky recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that it is working to ensure the recruitment of the best prepared educator candidates and to make changes that would ensure the admission of only those with good academic records. Pending regulatory changes will require program applicants to present a cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the last 36 hours of credit completed, including both undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Further, applicants will be required to demonstrate appropriate pre-professional skills in math, reading and writing. The test is not normed to the entire population of students who take college admissions tests but rather to college students who apply to educator preparation programs. Thus, the comparison group will reflect a selective norming sample. Kentucky also noted that it will not exempt candidates from this testing based on ACT or SAT scores, based on the advice of counsel. 

Finally, the pending regulatory changes will also do the following: require that all candidates demonstrate an overall disposition essential to being an effective teacher in the areas of critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration prior to admission to a teacher preparation program, and stipulate that all teacher preparation programs submit an annual report. The effective date for these pending changes is September 1, 2012.