1. Massachusetts Kindergarten Entry Assessment (MKEA): Updates State Associations & Legislators Subcommittee Meeting May 9, 2013 State House, Room 348 1

2. MKEA: Federal Context Massachusetts is 1 of 9 states to be awarded a first-round Race to The Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant by U.S. ED and HHS. $50M over four years to strengthen early education and align with elementary-level education. RTT-ELC requires the state to implement a “Comprehensive Assessment System” (birth – 5). Elements of a Comprehensive Assessment System: Screening Measures Formative Assessment Environmental Quality Quality of Adult-Child Interactions 2

3. MKEA: State Context MKEA is a component of the Massachusetts Early Learning and Development (MELD) System. Goals of MELD: Establish seamless screening and assessment system from birth – 3rd Grade. Measure and support a child’s growth and development outcomes from birth – 3rd Grade. 3

4. MKEA: State Context (cont’d) MELD Implementation Partners: Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) 99 Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grantees across Massachusetts Early education programs, including public school-based programs Public schools, K – 3rd Grade Families The Readiness Centers Other institutions of higher learning 4

5. MKEA: State Context (cont’d) Tools: Screening Tools: o Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) o Ages and States Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE) Formative Assessment Tools: o Teaching Strategies GOLD o Work Sampling System o High Scope Preschool Child Observation Record 5

6. Why Conduct Formative Assessments in Kindergarten? Equips kindergarten teachers with child-level and classroom-level information across all domains. Supports kindergarten teachers by informing classroom instruction. Gives teachers and schools valuable information about the child to share with child’s family, to inform family’s understanding of child’s strengths and weaknesses. Supports school districts in fortifying the existing alignment of early childhood education and elementary school. Helps state and local education policymakers identify trends and resource needs. 6

7. MKEA Implementation: Year 1/Cohort 1 (2012-2013) 20 public school districts volunteered to participate in MKEA as part of Cohort 1. Formative assessment tool options for Cohort 1: Teaching Strategies GOLD Work Sampling System High Scope Preschool Child Observation Record 7

8. MKEA Implementation: Year 1/Cohort 1 (2012-2013) (cont’d) Cohort 1 Timeline: March 2012: districts chose formative assessment tools and created professional development plans. Spring – Fall 2012: professional development provided to the districts. Fall 2012: districts conducted the initial student assessments. Fall/Winter 2012: districts analyzed the assessment data to inform teaching and learning. Spring 2013: districts will be conducting the year-end student assessments. 8

9. Cohort 1: Districts and Assessment Tool Chosen Teaching Strategies GOLDWork Sampling System 1. Everett1. Boston 2. Holyoke2. Brookline 3. Lawrence3. Chelsea 4. Lowell4. New Bedford 5. Ludlow5. Northampton 6. Lynn6. Pittsfield 7. Old Rochester7. Taunton 8. South Hadley 8. Worcester 9. Southbridge 10. Springfield 11. Ware 12. Watertown 9

10. MKEA Implementation: Year 2/Cohort 2 (2013-2014) All Quality Full-Day Kindergarten Grantees invited (142 school districts & 6 charter schools). Cohort 2 participants: 59 public school districts 2 charter schools 1 Independent kindergarten program Tool Selection: 46 selected Teaching Strategies GOLD 16 selected the Work Sampling System 10

11. MKEA Cohort 2: Implementation Timeline Winter – Spring 2013: Wheelock/Aspire/CASE conducts professional development needs assessment. Wheelock assists Cohort 2 districts in developing district-specific professional development plans. Spring 2013: MKEA Cohort 2 Regional Conferences in Boston (4/26) and Worcester (5/3). ESE Spring Kindergarten Networking meetings (5/6, 5/13 and 5/17). Confirm # of licenses requested; EEC orders and pays for licenses Spring – Fall 2013: Training on the formative assessment tools. 11

12. MKEA Cohort 2: Implementation Timeline (cont’d) Fall 2013: K teachers from Cohorts 1 and 2 districts participate in state-wide optional professional development opportunity on “Assessment and Observation in the Early Childhood Classroom.” Cohort 2 districts conduct initial student assessments and report assessment results online. Cohort 2 districts analyze assessment data to inform teaching and learning. Spring 2014: Cohort 2 districts conduct year-end student assessments and report assessment results online. Cohort 2 districts analyze assessment data to inform teaching and learning. 12

13. MKEA Contact Information Brad Kramer Interagency Liaison, EEC (617) 988-7811 brad.kramer@state.ma.us John Swanson, Policy Analyst, EEC (617) 988-7803 john.swanson2@state.ma.us Donna Traynham Education Specialist, ESE/Learning Support Services (781) 338-6372 dtraynham@doe.mass.edu 13