September 30, 2021

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Students in grades 3-9 participated in the 2021 Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS) summative assessment for English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science. The Alaska Department of Education and Early Education (DEED) stated that, “Low participation rates due to COVID-19 warrant caution comparing results to prior years.” The 2021 results are only one part of the overall picture informing us about how well our students and schools are doing to meet all the grade level expectations identified by Alaska State Standards. Your child’s results are now available through the KPBSD PowerSchool Parent Portal.

Given the low overall participation rate and the high variability in participation among student groups, DEED cautions against comparing 2021 PEAKS data to previous years at the statewide level. Parents and educators can use individual student data from PEAKS, along with other local assessments, to inform decisions about instructional needs during the 2021-2022 school year. DEED has published a Parent Guide to Student Reports and FAQs online under the “results” tab.     

Typically, summative assessments guide intervention and targeted support activities for schools as directed by the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, the U.S. Department of Education waived accountability requirements for the 2021-2022 school year. DEED will continue to support ongoing school improvement efforts in local school districts, including stewardship of federal COVID relief funds.

Parents and Guardians have the authority to object to and withdraw their child from standards based assessments, or tests required by the State. The KPBSD Curriculum and Assessment Opt-Out Form must be completed annually and submitted to the school. The form can be found at this link: http://bit.ly/2lAPbca

You can find parent resources on the Alaska Department of Education PEAKS webpage: https://education.alaska.gov/assessments to assist with understanding these state required evaluations.

Student reports are available through the KPBSD PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you need help accessing these results, please contact your child’s school.

Sincerely,

Kari Dendurent
Assistant Superintendent
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

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Posted in KPBSD District Stories by Pegge Erkeneff Comments Off on KPBSD PEAKS assessment