As Kentucky schools prepare to administer state tests next month, the state Department of Education continues to pursue a federal waiver that would prevent the results from being used to evaluate schools.

On Wednesday, Education Commissioner Jason Glass briefed the Kentucky Board of Education about the request, informing the board that the department recently submitted it to the U.S. Department of Education for review.

“The waiver is meant to address the extraordinary situation stemming from the extended and widespread school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Glass said. “By waiving school accountability, we will avoid concerns and doubts about the comparability of accountability determinations across and between years.”

President Joe Biden’s administration has declined to let schools across the country off the hook when it comes to giving federally-mandated standardized tests this school year. Still, it has offered states significant leeway in how the assessments can be administered and used.

The federal government has also given states the go-ahead to submit waivers from federal school accountability requirements. That includes naming certain low-achieving schools for the 2020-21 school year.

Glass said the department is monitoring Kentucky’s pending request but added: “I think we’re going to be just fine.”

The state Department of Education compiled several guidance documents to help schools navigate this year’s assessment season, including a frequently-asked-questions document released last month.

This week’s state board of education meeting also came with an update about the third round of funding schools can expect through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. The $2 billion in funds flows from Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act.

“This is to help us continue to safely reopen and to sustain our safe operations in our schools for both our staff and our students” amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Robin Kinney, associate commissioner in KDE’s Office of Finance and Operations, said in a news release.

Most of Kentucky’s share of the third round of ESSER funding – at least 90% – will go to local school districts, but there’s a provision that requires districts to use at least 20% of their cut to address learning loss from extended school closures spurred by the pandemic, the release said. That means adding evidence-based programs and initiatives that address students’ social, emotional and academic needs and the pandemic’s disparate effects on marginalized student groups.

The state Department of Education said it’s working to administer the first round of ESSER funds to school districts.

– Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @NewsByAaron or visit bgdailynews.com.