What are the QPA and QSA?
Knox County Schools is taking a new approach to ensure all K-5 students master literacy with two powerful diagnostic tools: the Quick Phonics Assessment (QPA) and the Quick Spelling Assessment (QSA).
The QPA, given to kindergarten through second grade students, focuses on decoding skills—helping students recognize and sound out words. The QSA, administered to first through fifth graders, assesses encoding skills like spelling.
QPA & QSA Defined
QPA (Quick Phonics Assessment): diagnostic test given to all kindergarten – 2nd grade students & focuses on decoding skills like sounding out words
QSA (Quick Spelling Assessment): diagnostic test given to all 3rd – 5th grade students & focuses on encoding skills like spelling
According to Dr. Erin Phillips, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, these assessments are embedded within the district’s curriculum, which makes them especially valuable.
“Because they follow the same systematic scope and sequence of how we teach phonics, teachers can easily pinpoint gaps and intervene in a structured way,” she explained.
Why is this important right now?
This school year marks the first time KCS has implemented these assessments district-wide. While KCS has always used a universal reading screener three times a year (as required by law), only students flagged for reading difficulties would receive a follow-up diagnostic assessment. That changed this year.
“For the first time, we administered the QPA to all K-2 students and the QSA to all 1st-5th graders,” said Dr. Phillips. “This shift allows us to identify reading gaps for every student—not just those who were flagged—giving teachers a clearer picture of what each child needs to succeed.”
Why implement these additional diagnostics?
The universal reading screener helps identify students who may need extra support, but it does not pinpoint exactly where a student’s reading challenges begin. That’s where the QPA and QSA come in.
“This diagnostic tells us the exact first point of error for a student,” Dr. Phillips explained. “That knowledge allows teachers to provide targeted instruction instead of taking a broad approach that may not address the root of the issue.”
Beyond diagnostics, KCS has also aligned its instructional materials across all literacy programs, ensuring consistency from classroom instruction to intervention services.
“We used to have different programs teaching the same skills in different ways,” Dr. Phillips said. “Now, everything—from Tier 1 literacy instruction to Tier 2 and Tier 3 support—follows the same structure and academic language, which prevents confusion and helps students progress faster.”
What growth and changes have we seen so far?
Though the program is still in its first year, teachers are already seeing a difference.
“The response from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Dr. Phillips. “They’re able to see student progress in ways they couldn’t before and are getting a much deeper understanding of what their students know and what they still need to learn.”
Additionally, the district is building stronger collaboration between academics and support services to provide better coherence in literacy instruction.
“Our goal is not just to implement a new assessment but to make sure our entire literacy approach is aligned, effective, and giving students the best chance at success,” Dr. Phillips emphasized.
While it will take time to see the full impact of these changes, KCS is already gaining valuable insights.
“We’re getting better at analyzing and using this data to drive instruction,” Dr. Phillips said. “And most importantly, we’re ensuring more students learn to read early—setting them up for long-term academic success.”
Excellence in Foundational Skills
Knox County Schools is committed to Excellence in Foundational Skills. Early literacy and middle school math are foundational to a student’s academic and lifelong success. By preparing students to read proficiently by third grade and reach or surpass proficiency in Algebra I by ninth grade, KCS equips every student with the skills needed to succeed in and beyond the classroom.