1. Kindergarten Assessment Approaches to Learning Training Required for DTCs, STCs, and Kindergarten Teachers
Hello, my name is Holly Dalton and I am the Early Math and Early Literacy Assessment Specialist at the Oregon Department of Education. This is the Kindergarten Assessment Approaches to Learning training module for the school year. This module is required for all District and School Test Coordinators, as well as all Kindergarten Teachers that will be completing the Approaches to Learning scoresheet for students in their class.

2. Purposes of the Kindergarten Assessment
Provide local and statewide information that gives families, schools, communities, and state-level policy makers a snapshot of the social, self-regulatory, and academic skills of incoming kindergartners
Provide a consistent, statewide tool for identifying systemic opportunity gaps, determining Early Learning resource allocation to best support students in need, and measure improvement over time

3. The Kindergarten Assessment Is
What it is…
What it is not…
A snapshot of early literacy, early math, and approaches to learning skills of students entering kindergarten
A consistent, statewide tool
Aligned to Early Learning and Common Core State Standards
NOT used to determine if an individual student can enter kindergarten
NOT a diagnostic tool for placing children in specific programs or classrooms
NOT a comprehensive assessment of students’ knowledge and skills
NOT designed to measure what students learn in kindergarten
The Kindergarten Assessment looks at a set of specific skills and should not be used as a gatekeeper for students entering kindergarten. It should not be used as a sole means for placement in programs or classrooms. The assessment was not designed to measure what students learn in kindergarten. The assessment is aligned to Early Learning and CCSS.

4. Test Administration
Conducted through teacher observation of children’s behavior over a period of time with other adults and children in a classroom setting during the first six weeks of school
Must be completed by the classroom teacher
Includes 15 items that measure Self-Regulation and Interpersonal Skills
The classroom teacher may assess all of the students in a classroom on one item at a time or rate of each of the students on all 15 items before moving on to the next student
Special Considerations
Child’s cultural background
Very seldom children will “never” exhibit behavior described by an item
The Approaches to Learning Measure occurs over a period of time, after the sixth week of school. This is to allow the students to develop familiarity with classroom routines and procedures. Students should be given more than one opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
This measure must be administered by the classroom teacher.
It includes 15 items.
The classroom teacher has the option of assessing all students in a classroom on one item at a time or rate each of the students on all 15 items before assessing another student.
It is important to consider a child’s cultural background.

5. Scoring
The teacher responds to each item by circling numbers on a 1-5 point scale:
The child never exhibits the behavior described by the item.
The child rarely exhibits the behavior described by the item.
The child sometimes exhibits the behavior described by the item.
The child frequently or usually exhibits the behavior described by the item.
The child always exhibits the behavior described by the item.
If the behavior was not observed, please use an item response of 6.

6. Test Attempt and Administrative Codes
The majority of your students will have a valid Attempt Code (Y) and an Administrative Code of (0)
For any student, refer to the list of Attempt and Administrative Codes at the top of the Approaches to Learning Scoresheet and record the information in the Student Information section
Most students will have a valid attempt code (Y) and an Administrative Code of 0.
For all other students, the attempt and administrative codes should be recorded in the student information section on the scoresheet.
An example of an attempt code of N should be used if the student has a medical emergency and is absent from the classroom during the assessment window.

7. Approaches to Learning Form
It is important to fill out all of the sections on the Approaches to Learning Scoresheet. Please fill in the school name, teacher name, and the test administration date.
The attempt and administrative codes are listed at the upper right-hand corner of the document.

8. Interpretive Guidance
For the past two years, the Oregon Department of Education has provided Interpretive Guidance around the Approaches to Learning Measure.
Scores fall into 3 categories:
Developing
Approaching
Demonstrating and Above
The state averages for are depicted above. The state averages will be posted in after this year’s data has been validated. This will occur sometime this winter.

9. ODE Contact Information
Holly Dalton
Early Literacy and Early Math Assessment Specialist
Elyse Bean
Kindergarten Data Owner
ODE Helpdesk
Technical Assistance
If you have any questions regarding your KA data submission that your DTC can’t answer, please contact your Regional ESD Partner or Jordan Heide.
If you have questions related to assessment, policy and procedure, please contact myself.
If you having technical difficulties with the ODE district webpage, please contact your ODE helpdesk.