1. Policy Analysis of the Massachusetts School Readiness Assessment System Ashaunta Tumblin, M.D. Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Minority Health Policy Fellow May 12, 2011

2. Preface This analysis represents independent research conducted in collaboration with Strategies for Children, Inc. and the Massachusetts Departments of Early Education and Care and Elementary and Secondary Education. It is designed to inform and complement state efforts, but it does not represent the ongoing work of the Commonwealth to establish the Massachusetts kindergarten readiness assessment system.

3. Outline Introduction Study Rationale Study Goals Study Methods Study Results Literature Reviews Key Informant Interviews Survey and Focus Group Policy Recommendations

4. Introduction School readiness refers to the readiness of the child to succeed in school across several developmental domains as well as the readiness of the school, family, and community to support learning Differences in school readiness contribute to health disparities Lack of precise definitions and standardized data collection limits our ability to address health disparities in children Fiscella D, Kitzman H. Disparities in academic achievement and health: the intersection of child education and health policy. Pediatrics. 2009;123:1073-1080. Institute of Medicine. Child and Adolescent Health and Health Care Quality: Measuring What Matters. April 2011.

5. Study Rationale No statewide measure of child outcomes prior to the 3 rd grade MCAS Per the enabling statute of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), there must be A kindergarten readiness assessment system Measures the extent to which every preschool- aged child has a fair and full opportunity to learn upon kindergarten entry In developing the assessments, there must be Survey of all providers in the commonwealth Review of assessment systems in other states Massachusetts General Law Part I Title II Chapter 15D Section 12

6. Study Goals Develop an understanding and summary of school readiness definitions in other states Develop an understanding and summary of state-level school readiness policy in Massachusetts Document district-level school readiness assessment systems in Massachusetts Research the potential role of the pediatric community in supporting school readiness

7. Study Methods Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians Policy Analysis: Literature Review and

8. Results: Literature Review of School Readiness Definitions in Other States Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

9. School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2000 No state had a statewide definition of school readiness A child who is five years old by a certain date is often considered ready for school Saluja, G., Scott-Little, C., & Clifford, R. Readiness for school: A survey of state policies and definitions. ECRP, 20:2. 2000. Education Commission of the States. 2000. Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

10. School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2011 Hawaii Positive interaction among the child's developmental characteristics, school practices, and family and community support Minnesota Skills, knowledge, behaviors, and accomplishments that children know and can do as they enter kindergarten in the following areas of child development social and emotional development approaches to learning language and literacy development creativity and the arts cognition and general knowledge physical well being and motor development. Stedron, J. NCSL Technical Report: State Approaches to School Readiness Assessment. 2010. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2002/bills/SB2283_sd1_.htm http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/EarlyLearning/documents/Report/017119.pdf Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

11. Results: Literature Review of School Readiness Policy in Massachusetts Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

12. Proposed 2001 School Readiness Definition in Massachusetts Wieworka, A., Washington, V. School Readiness in Massachusetts: A Report of the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. 2001. Communication ability Physical health Social knowledge Cognitive skills Influences of people and cultures Influences of the environment Quality, expectations, and capacities of early childhood programs and elementary schools Family support from greater community Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

13. School Readiness Policy in Massachusetts http://www.minnesotaspromise.org/publications/documents/Massedreformsummary.pdf http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1993/1993acts0071.pdf http://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC/research_planning/state_planning/eec_strategic_plan.pdf School Readiness in MA: A Report of the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. 2001. State Profiles: School Readiness Indicators and Lessons Learned. May 2004. A Case Study of the MA Dept. of Early Education and Care. April 2008. 1978: Public sues MA for unequal education spending 1993: Education Reform Act equalizes district spending 2001: Governor’s Commission on school readiness in MA 2004: National School Readiness Indicators Meeting 2005: Dept. of Early Education & Care (EEC) established 2007: Universal Pre-kindergarten pilot program launched 2008: Universal Pre-kindergarten program requires use of one of four assessment tools 2011: Quality Rating and Improvement System launched EEC and NYU plan assessment pilot in Springfield Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

14. Results: Key Informant Interviews of Other State Leaders, Massachusetts Leaders, and Pediatricians Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews N = 25

15. Definitions of School Readiness Specific skill sets, developmental capacities, or state-determined indicators Schools are ready for all children, independent of an individual child’s readiness for school School readiness begins prenatally, if not preconception The term “school readiness” is misleading because it prompts a yes/no answer to the continuum of child development Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

16. Purposes of School Readiness Assessment Identify children at risk for learning disabilities or developmental delay Align early childhood programming with kindergarten expectations Guide individualized curriculum development and instruction Inform state and district policy and practices Follow progress reducing the achievement gap Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

17. The Ideal School Readiness Assessment Tool Low-cost, quick, and easy to administer Align with early learning and common core standards Assess multiple domains with ongoing observation Return results on a continuous scale with a wide range Available in different languages Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

18. Challenges of Statewide School Readiness Assessment Overcoming fears of misuse of data Including community-based programs Training, time, and budgetary requirements Selecting the appropriate tool Returning data to providers in timely fashion Effective use of the data to improve outcomes Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

19. Results: Survey and Focus Group of District Leaders in Massachusetts Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

20. District Definitions of School Readiness: Survey Results District definitions of school readiness A particular level of child development Achievement of a specific skill set Reaching district-defined age for kindergarten Ready families, schools, and communities Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

21. District Purposes of Assessment: Survey Results 3 out of 4 respondents report from a district that uses a school readiness assessment or screen Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

22. District Purposes of Assessment: Focus Group Findings Target placement and allocation of resources Some fear premature decision-making Others review placement ≥ 6 times per year Collect data from preschools and parents Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

23. District View of Assessment Tools: Survey & Focus Group Findings Question1 st 2 nd 3 rd Importance of measured domains Social Emotion LiteracyMath Statewide tool should measure Social Emotion Literacy Math Motor Domains assessed by current toolsMotorLiteracyMath 97% 74% 61% 96% 81%82% 88% 78% 73% Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

24. District Leaders on Statewide Assessment Challenges Survey Results (Top 4 of 11 responses) Time required to conduct the assessment Uniform administration for consistency Training in interpretation of results Timely access to results for educators Focus Group Findings Different kindergarten entry dates across districts Educate parents that assessment will not be used to exclude children from kindergarten Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders District Survey District Focus Group Massachusetts State District Community Other States Pediatricians and Literature Reviews

25. Policy Recommendations

26. Policy Recommendations Federal government Annually publish data on all 50 states’ readiness definitions and assessment practices Provide incentives & supports for assessment & information technology in ELCF, ESEA, & ACA Provide Medicaid reimbursement for screens at 9-, 18-, and 24- months of age as well as the 4-year- old school readiness well child check Massachusetts legislature and governor Invest state funding in early education and care Specify and phase-in a statewide date to assess kindergarten entry age Ensure state-funded health care reimbursements for assessments and screens ELCF = Early Learning Challenge Fund ESEA = Elementary and Secondary Education Act ACA = Affordable Care Act

27. Policy Recommendations EEC and DESE Consensus definition of school readiness by 2012 noting importance of social & emotional skills Slow and steady scale-up of statewide school readiness assessment system Other inter-agency collaborations Enhanced EEC and DPH collaboration around Early Intervention services and pilot of DPH-run Early Development Inventory DPH proposes regulatory changes to pilot assessment by pediatricians in alignment with EEC, DESE, and AAP standards EEC = Department of Early Education and Care DESE = Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DPH = Department of Public Health AAP = American Academy of Pediatrics

28. Acknowledgements MA Department of Early Education and Care MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Strategies for Children, Inc. Harvard Department of Diversity and Community Partnership The Commonwealth Fund Harvard School of Public Health Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Minority Health Policy co-fellows Research participants