Grand Canyon Times

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne announced that the newly-passed state budget includes the elimination of the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) program, a move he has long advocated. Many educators have viewed the KEA as an unnecessary bureaucratic requirement that detracts from classroom time.

Horne stated, "One of my 16 initiatives to raise academic results is to reduce paperwork for teachers. Last year, I had the department reduce the administrative burden of the KEA assessment by more than 80 percent. If I had the legal authority to eliminate it, I would have. Over time, the KEA had ballooned into an endless morass of paperwork that meant teachers had to spend too much time on bureaucratic requirements versus time with students. Now the legislature has taken the welcome step of entirely removing the legal requirement for the KEA, which frees up more time for teachers to spend on classroom instruction."

The decision has received positive feedback from educators in various districts.

Dysart Unified School District Superintendent John Croteau commented, "Superintendent Horne reviewed our feedback on the KEA in our Kindergarten classes. The KEA duplicated many of our current practices and took away valuable instructional time. This decision prioritizes student interests by focusing on maximizing valuable classroom time to enhance student learning opportunities."

Challenger Charter School CEO Wendy Miller added, "Superintendent Horne and his department sought feedback directly from kindergarten teachers and families about the time, student privacy, and resources lost to KEA and we appreciate the swift and effective action taken to eliminate this program in the best interests of Arizona kids!"