Some legislators want to rebuild state testing, which could put students in better shape for college.

Legislators in the Kentucky House of Representatives and Senate have bills which would change the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System.

CATS includes the Kentucky Core Content Test, writing portfolios and prompts, according to the Kentucky Department of Education Web site.

Some think the changes could better prepare students for college, causing fewer students to take remedial courses.

Senate bill 1 asks that open response questions and the writing portfolios be removed from CATS and students and their parents get students’ test results compared to school, state and national results.

The bill is now in the House, according to the legislative research commission.

Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, filed a bill Monday related to education and assessment, House Clerk Jean Burgin said.

Rep. Jim DeCesare, R-Rockfield, said the House bill would set new standards for subject areas in which children are tested.

He said there are so many standards students have to meet now that they don’t get to focus on them in-depth.

It could take students in remedial courses longer to earn their degrees, Hunter said.

“If you have to take a course to prepare you for your college level work, those are hours you are not going to be able to take toward your degree,” she said.

Course enrollments in developmental and supplemental courses at Western added up to 5,159 in the 2007-2008 academic year, said Sharon Hunter, coordinator for college readiness.

Enrollments increased to 6,113 in the 2008-2009 academic year, she said.

Students are counted for each remedial class they’re enrolled in, Hunter said.

Students who need a little assistance to make them college-ready take supplemental courses, Hunter said.

Developmental courses are for students who need more help or more courses to be college-ready, she said.

Hunter said 42 percent of Western students who earned their bachelor’s degree in the 2007-2008 academic year took at least one developmental or supplemental course.

Paul Bush, associate English professor in the Academic Support Division at South Campus, said stressing the importance of higher education to parents could help reduce the number of students who need remedial courses in the future.