What is the primary purpose of the KOSSA?

The primary purpose of the Kentucky Occupational Skills Standards Assessment (KOSSA) is to evaluate the occupational skills and knowledge of high school students. This assessment is specifically designed to ensure that students have developed the necessary competencies and skills aligned with industry standards, which is crucial for their readiness to enter the workforce or pursue further education in specific vocational areas.

By focusing on occupational skills, KOSSA helps to measure how well students are prepared for careers in various fields, allowing educators and employers to gauge student readiness in real-world settings. This assessment also supports career and technical education programs by affirming that students possess the skills needed in their respective trades, thus enhancing employability and career success.

In contrast, the other options inaccurately describe the KOSSA's intent. For example, while college readiness is important, the KOSSA specifically targets occupational skills rather than academic achievement necessary for college. Similarly, the KOSSA is not intended as a broad standardized testing framework for all students or as a measure of intelligence and cognitive abilities, which are unrelated to the vocational skills that KOSSA assesses.