# Kentucky HB 257: AN ACT relating to the education assessment and accountability system. Kentucky HB 257, AN ACT relating to the education assessment and accountability system., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by J.T. Payne (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 138)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB257-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 257 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the education assessment and accountability system. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-08 - Last action: 2026-04-13, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 138) - Sponsor: J.T. Payne (Republican) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Boards And Commissions, Education, Elementary And Secondary, State Agencies - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (238 yes, 14 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Six-year standards updates and training: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, Kentucky reviews and updates academic standards and matching tests every six years. Four subject committees and twelve grade-band panels of teachers and college reps lead the work, with no curriculum-vendor ties. A governor‑appointed, Senate‑confirmed review committee overse… - Free college test and extra help: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Department pays for one college admissions exam for public high school juniors. Extra test dates are the student’s cost. If funds are available, the Department may offer free test prep for juniors. High schools must offer accelerated learning to students whose best Engli… - State covers many CTE test fees: benefit, low. The Department pays the cost of a certification, credential, or licensure exam for students who finish two related, approved pathway courses before testing. If a student has not taken both courses but meets performance‑based experience rules and passes, the district gets a weighted reimbursement se… - District-made school quality measures: benefit, low. Local school districts can create their own measures of school quality that match state standards and vibrant learning. If they use student data, they must show subgroup results when allowed and post them online. The Department gives help and may make a one-time payment up to $15,000 per district.… - More advanced courses, writing, and profiles: benefit, low. By December 1, 2025, each district must adopt and post a plan to promote advanced coursework for grades 4–12. Plans may auto‑enroll students who scored “distinguished,” set eligibility for others, and usually need parent consent to withdraw. Principals may withdraw a student only in limited cases.… - New rules for state K-12 testing: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Kentucky Board of Education runs a balanced statewide test program and updates tests to match the state’s academic standards. State tests can only include standards the Board approves. Tests cannot try to rate a student’s life skills like self‑sufficiency or being a “res… - Study on advanced middle school math: benefit, low. The Department must deliver a study on middle school advanced math by November 1, 2026. It reviews access, identification, participation, course sequences, barriers, staffing, preparation for Algebra I by grade 8, capacity and gaps, and gives policy recommendations. The Department can require schoo… - KEES now counts ACT or SAT: mixed, low. The law updates what counts as an ACT score for KEES scholarships. It can be a composite ACT from a national test date or the statewide junior‑year ACT, if Kentucky uses the ACT. An equivalent SAT score may also count if set by the administering authority. This can affect who qualifies and award ca… - School dashboard, fixes, and appeals: mixed, low. The Department posts a public, color‑coded dashboard of school and subgroup results. Cut scores stay for at least six years unless they stop meaningfully differentiating. The board sets stronger actions for schools that remain in comprehensive support status and may create district‑level accountabi… - School ratings and readiness rules change: mixed, low. Starting with 2026–27 data, school ratings use set indicators: test results, student growth in reading and math, English learner progress, chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of the year), graduation rate, and postsecondary readiness. From July 1, 2030, targeted quality measures must count for… - State tests, timing, and parent reports: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, state tests cover reading and math in grades 3–8, science and social studies at least once in elementary and middle, and core tests once in high school. Grade 11 students take a college admissions exam in spring. Districts give tests in the last 14 school days unless the boa… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: J.T. Payne (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Beverly Chester-Burton (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Grossberg (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: George Brown Jr. (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: James Tipton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kevin Jackson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Scott Lewis (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Riley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Tina Bojanowski (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Timmy Truett (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 84 | 2 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | passed | pass | 30 | 6 | | | 2026-03-27 | Senate | passed | pass | 32 | 5 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 92 | 1 | | ## Actions (45) - 2026-04-13: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 138) - 2026-04-01: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 84-2 (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in House (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference Committee Report (House) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-01: received in House (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 30-6 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference Committee Report (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report adopted in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report (1) filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Senate refused to recede from Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (6) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for receding from Senate Floor Amendment (6) and Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-31: House refused to concur in Senate Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (6) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (6) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-03-31: received in House (House) - 2026-03-27: passed 32-5 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment (6) (Senate) - 2026-03-27: Floor Amendments (2), (3), (4), (5) and (7) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-03-27: 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-26: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 27 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-20: floor amendment (6) filed to Committee Substitute , floor amendment (7) filed to bill (Senate) - 2026-03-20: floor amendments (2) and (5) filed to Committee Substitute , floor amendments (1-title), (3) and (4) filed to bill (Senate) - 2026-03-20: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-19: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-18: to Education (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-18: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-18: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-17: 3rd reading, passed 92-1 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-02-13: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 17 2026 (House) - 2026-02-05: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-02-04: floor amendments (1) and (2) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-02-04: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-01-15: to Primary and Secondary Education (H) (House) - 2026-01-08: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-08: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-01: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-07: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB324-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB257-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).