KINDERGARTEN

ENTRY ASSESSMENT
Smart Start Conference, May 2013
Kelly Maxwell, UNC-CH
Catherine Scott-Little, UNC-G
John Pruette, NC Department of Public Instruction
Kathe Taylor, WA Department of Education

Overview
Setting the Context
North Carolinas K-3 Approach
Washingtons Kindergarten Assessment (waKIDS)
Q/A and Discussion

SETTING THE CONTEXT:

KINDERGARTEN ENTRY
ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS
Catherine Scott-Little
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

What is a Kindergarten Entry Assessment

System?
An assessment conducted within the first few months of

kindergarten to collect data on children

Some types of data that can be collected include:
Demographic data
Assessment of what the child knows and can do
Information on services the child has had

Kindergarten Entry Assessments are

Increasingly Common
43 states have a KEA or have plans for a KEA
34 states described plans for a KEA in their RTT-ELC
applications
9 states that did not submit a RTT-ELC application have some
type of KEA
There is variability in the assessment instruments used,

how data are used, and areas of childrens learning that

are assessed
One commonality: the person responsible for collecting
the data is typically the kindergarten teacher

WHY ARE THESE KEA

SYSTEMS IMPORTANT TO
EARLY CHILDHOOD
PROGRAMS?

Why are these KEA Systems Important to

Early Childhood Programs?
Kindergarten is a pivotal transition point for children
Get a cumulative picture of how early childhood experiences have
effected childrens learning and development
Sets the stage for what happens in kindergarten
First opportunity to capture data on large cohort of

children
Can serve as a bridge between early childhood systems
and public school systems

Examples of State-Level KEAS

Teacher survey/Rating
Connecticut Kindergarten Entry Inventory (http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/
assessment/kindergarten/index.htm)

Vermont Ready Kindergarteners Survey

(
http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_earlyed/kindergarten_readiness.html)

Direct assessments
Virgin Islands: Learning Accomplishment Profile3rd Edition (U.S.
Virgin Islands, 2010)

Teacher Observations/Work Samples

Maryland: Maryland Model for School Readiness (
http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/ensure/readiness/index.html)

Delaware: Teaching Strategies GOLD

Hawaii State School Readiness Assessment (http://arch.k12.hi.us/

school/hssra/hssra.html)

New Approaches to KEAS

KEA with choice of assessment instruments
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
KEA with a combination of assessment approaches
Maryland and Ohio
KEA as part of a transition process
Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills
(WAKIDS)
KEA that is K-3rd grade
North Carolina

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR
DESIGN AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF KEAS

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Considerations Regarding
Instrumentation
Designed for purpose for which the data will be used
Technical properties
Reliability
Validity
Limited measures available for some domains

Appropriate for the children who will be assessed

Limited guidance for assessing DLL and children with disabilities
Also need guidance for how to use the data with these children
Allows for data to be collected from multiple sources,

including families

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Instrumentation Considerations
(continued)
Useful to teachers
Minimum time requirements (as much as possible)
Aligned with standards
Aligned with curriculum/curricula
Collects data from multiples sources (including from families)
One-time data collection vs. on-going data collection
User-friendly and produces useful data

13

We want to avoid . . . .

14

Considerations Regarding
Implementation
Buy in from teachers and other stakeholders
Professional development regarding administration
Certification
On-going support and monitoring
Refresher
Professional development on how to use the data
Initial training on use of the data to guide instruction and the linkage
to curricula
On-going support and monitoring
Refreshers
Careful pilot process
Instrumentation
Implementation
Professional development
Quality control and evaluation of the data

15

Additional Considerations Regarding

Implementation
Professional development for administrators
Parent engagement and partnerships
Good source of information about their children, particularly related
to physical development, potential disabilities, and social skills
Opportunities to build parent relationships early in the transition
process
Data management plan and system

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Pressures Related to KEA Systems

Desire to use KEA assessments for multiple purposes

without validation for each purpose

Increasing demands for data
Limited resources to support implementation
Data management systems often still in process
Sometimes limited attention to safeguards needed to protect

children and teachers

Short time frames for development and implementation

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Summary
KEAs are increasing important developments for policy

and practice
Development and implementation of a KEAS is a complex
process
States are trying new approaches
Resource:

http://www.elccollaborative.org/assessment/77kindergarten-entry-assessment.html

NORTH CAROLINAS
K-3 ASSESSMENT
Race-to-the-Top Early Learning Challenge Grant
John Pruette
Office of Early Learning, NC Dept. of Public Instruction

19

Overview
Why?
RTT-ELC Grant
North Carolina Legislation
What?
Our Vision for the K-3 Assessment
How?
Our Structures for Doing the Work
When?
Our Proposed Timeline

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Why?

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Race-to-the-Top
Early Learning Challenge Grant

22

From Session Law 2012-142

115C-83.1E. Developmental screening and kindergarten

entry assessment.

Developmental Screening within 30 days

Shall address the five domains of readiness
Administered at the classroom level
Aligned to ELDS and NCSCOS
Reliable, valid and appropriate
Shall be used to inform entry status, instruction, reduction in
achievement gap, and the early childhood system
Completed within 60 days of enrollment

23

From Session Law 2012-142

115C-174.11 Components of the testing program.
Assessment Instruments for K-3
The State Board of Education shall develop, adopt, and provide

developmentally appropriate individualized assessment instruments for

Kindergarten through Third Grade.
LEAs shall use these assessment instruments to assess progress,
diagnose difficulties, & inform instruction and remediation needs

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What?

25

K-3 Assessment Vision

Guiding Principles
Criteria that informs the development of the K-3
Assessment
Examples:
The K-3 Assessment must include items that measure all five
Essential Domains of School Readiness as specified in the
RFP.
The K-3 Assessment will not be used for accountability of highstakes purposes.

Based on recommendations from the NRCs (2008)

Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What and How

report

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K-3 Assessment Vision

Formative Assessment
A process used by teachers and students during
instruction that provides feedback to adjust
ongoing teaching and learning to help students
improve their achievement of intended instructional
outcomes.

NCDPI, Accountability Services Division

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K-3 Assessment Vision

Formative Assessment includes:
Questioning
Discussions
Learning Activities
Feedback
Conferences
Interviews
Student Reflections

NCDPI, Accountability Services Division

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K-3 Assessment Vision

Formative assessment is:
found at the classroom level;
happens minute-to-minute or in short cycles;
is not used in accountability systems;
is descriptive feedback in nature;
allows students to know what they need to do next
to improve learning, &
informs instruction.

NCDPI, Accountability Services Division

29

K-3 Assessment Vision

Five Domains of Learning
Approaches to Learning
Cognitive Development
Emotional & Social Development
Health & Physical Development
Language & Communication Development

30

K-3 Assessment Vision

How can we incorporate the best of what currently

exists?

Current K-2 ELA Assessment

Current K-2 Math Assessment
Reading 3-D

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K-3 Assessment Vision

Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA)

Process
Initial administration of K-3 Assessment
Generates a Child Profile
Completed within 60 days of entry
Addresses requirements for screening for Reading

& Mathematics
Satisfies data requirement for the grant

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How?

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K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Think Tank
Task Force
Development Work Groups
Scaling-Up Work Group

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K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Think Tank
Researchers, scholars, practitioners, policy makers
& consultants
Visionary
Sparks revolutionary thinking
Imagines the possibilities
Generates big ideas
Creates vision

35

K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Task Force
Educators, parents, IHE, content specialists,
psychometrician(s), DPI staff, consultants
Advisory
Conceptualizes the big ideas
Analyzes input from various stakeholders
Makes recommendations
Guides development

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K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Development Work Groups

RTT-ELC Staff, content specialists, consultants

Developers
Operationalize the Task Force Recommendations
Create assessment
Make revisions based on input & feedback

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K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Scaling-Up Work Group

NCDPI, educators, parents, administrators, external partners,

consultants
Implementers

Establish State Implementation Capacity

Guide Scalability and Sustainability
Focus on organization and system change
State
Region
District

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Think Tank

Scaling-Up
Work Group

DPIELC
Team

Development
Work Group

Task Force

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When?

40

Our Proposed Timeline

Task
Develop K-3 Assessment
Usability in Transformation Zone
Initial Implementation

Timeline
January 2013 - August 2014
March 2014 May 2015
June 2015 December 2015

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A Closer Look

42

Welcome to

Kindergarten Assessment
Smart Start Conference, Greensboro, North Carolina
May 1, 2013
Kathe Taylor, Ph.D., Director Early Learning Assessment, Washington State

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Statewide Kindergarten Entry

Assessment: How Does It Fit In?

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What Makes WaKIDS Stand Out in

Washington
Cross-Sector

Partnership
First state K assessment
and only one to be
observational, strengthsbased and whole childfocused
Formally recognizes:
Parents

as partners
Collaboration of early
learning and K12

Process and product

45

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Family Connection
A Time for Teachers
to

Get to know the family

Listen
Learn about the child
Answer questions
Follow the familys lead
in how they wish to use
this time

A Time for Families to

Get to know the
teacher
Share their childs
interests, strengths,
emotional reactions,
languages, favorites,
etc.
Ask questions that will
help them feel at ease
about the transition

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A Guide to the Family Connection Conversation:

Introducing Me!

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Washington Teachers Love the Family

Connection!
The majority of 2012 teachers:
Spent 2040 minutes with each family
Met with 90100% of their families
Reported that the family connection
was beneficial because:
It gave a good understanding of students
and their families very early in the year
It gave a chance to have a conversation without
any judgmentjust there to get to know each other

Source: 2012-13 Teacher Feedback Survey; 469 teachers responding

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State Policy Support for Family

Connection
Proposed 2013 Legislation

Would allow schools to use

up to three school days at
the beginning of the school
year to meet with parents
and families as part of the
Family Connection
component of WaKIDS

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WaKIDS: A Catalyst for Conversation

Across Sectors, Within
Schools and Districts, With
Families and Communities
How can WaKIDS data

inform our work?

How can the key adults in a

childrens lives work together

to help more children be
prepared to succeed in
school?

WaKIDS Fall 2012 Data Inform Instruction,

Community Strategy, and Policy
100.0%

Percent of Students who Demonstrate Characteristics of

Entering Kindergartners

90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
21055
Students

20619
Students

20554
Students

20728
Students

19827
Students

20393
Students

Social
Emotional

Physical

Language

Cognitive

Literacy

Math

51

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Lessons Learned in Building a

Kindergarten Assessment Process
Building a KEA is fundamentally about building

bridgeswith families and across educational

sectors, communities, curricula.
Partnerships are essential, but not always easy
Connect prekindergarten, kindergarten and
post-kindergarten experiences
Pilot assessments and processes
Engage leadershipTarget superintendent and
principal leadership early in the implementation
Strive for a common languageBut dont
assume everybody is speaking it
Invest in teacher professional development
Involve families
Identify existing resourcesUse established
regional networks to provide coordination and
technical assistance
I want to go fast, which is why I move so slowly

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One KID at a
Time

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Thank You!

WaKIDS web page

http://www.k12.wa.us/WaKIDS/default.aspx

OSPI State Report Card for WaKIDS

http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/WaKidsDetail
For more information, contact
kathe.taylor@k12.wa.us