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Welcome to

Early Learning Regional Coalition Statewide Meeting May 15, 2013

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS: Washington’s Kindergarten Entry Process

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“Whole Child” Assessment Teaching Strategies GOLD

measures six areas of development and learning

Family ConnectionTeachers welcome families and students individually to school as partners in their

children’s education

Early Learning CollaborationKindergarten teachers and early

learning professionals share information and expertise

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills 3

Stepping Back: What Makes WaKIDS Stand Out as a State Initiative

• Formal partnership of collaborators

• First statewide kindergarten assessment; first state assessment to be observation and strengths-based

Same assessment used in ECEAP, some Head Start

• Formal recognition at K-12 level of the importance of the whole child

• Formal recognition of parents as partners in children’s education

• Formal collaboration across sectors and partners to bring early learning and K-12 together

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

OSPI Kindergarten Readiness Survey 2005

2006Department of Early Learning established; Thrive by Five created

Legislature initiates state-funded full-day kindergarten; establishes 2017– 2018 timetable for implementation (RCW 28A.150.315) 2007

2009Legislature appropriates funding to DEL to pilot a kindergarten assessment process

Three WaKIDSassessments are piloted 2010

2011WaKIDS is piloted using chosen assessment; 6,661 students participate. Legislature requires WaKIDS in SF FDK, beginning 2012—2013 (RCW 28A.655.080)

Department of Early Learning awarded Race to the Top Grant; includes funding for WaKIDS 2011

Over 21,000 students participate in WaKIDS 2012

The Path to WaKIDS: Some Key Steps

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS: A Catalyst for Conversation

Across Sectors, Within Schools and Districts, With Families and Communities…• Are Washington’s children arriving at kindergarten

prepared for school?• Are there disparities (geographic, cultural, racial, and

socioeconomic) between groups of children?• Are there particular areas of school readiness that

should be targeted?• How can this data inform our work?

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills 6

Over 21,000 Students Participated in Fall 2012 WaKIDS

Demographic Comparison WaKIDS Statewide K

American Indian or Alaska Native 1.8% 1.3%Asian 4.7% 6.2%Black/African American 6.9% 4.4%Hispanic 38.4% 24.2%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1.2% 1.0%White 34.2% 54.9%Two or More Races 5.7% 7.9%Not Provided 7.1% 0.0%Male 51.5% 51.8%Female 48.5% 48.2%Special Ed 8.3% 9.2%Bilingual 30.3% 18.5%Free-Reduced Lunch 68.9% 48.3%Total Students 21,811 83,255

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Fall 2012 WaKIDS Students’ Skill Levels Varied Across Areas of Development and Learning

21055 Students

20619 Students

20554 Students

20728 Students

19827 Students

20393 Students

Social Emotional

Physical Language Cognitive Literacy Math

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Percent of Students who Demonstrate Characteristics of Entering Kindergartners

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Fall 2012 WaKIDS Students’ Skill Levels Varied Within Areas of Development and Learning

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21055 Students 20619 Students 20554 Students 20728 Students 19827 Students 20393 StudentsSocial Emotional Physical Language Cognitive Literacy Math

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Percent of Entering Kindergartners by Range of Demonstrated Skills

Purple Blue

Green Yellow

Red/Orange

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Statewide, the Opportunity Gap is Evident in the First Few Weeks of Kindergarten

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Social Emotional Physical Language Cognitive Literacy Math0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Percentages of Students Who Demonstrate Characteristics of Entering Kindergartners by Race

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Hispanic

Native Hawaiian

Two or More Races

White

Not Provided

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Children of All Races Are Represented Across All Levels of Development

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Area not completed

Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African Amer-ican

Hispanic

Native Hawaiian

Not Provided

Two or More Races

White

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Students on Free and Reduced Lunch Were Less Prepared for Kindergarten

Area of Development and Learning

State WaKIDS(N = ~20,500 students)

State Free and Reduced LunchWaKIDS (N = ~14,200 students)

Social Emotional Development

74% 71%

Physical Development 79% 77%Language Development 66% 60%

Cognitive Development 71% 66%

Literacy 72% 67%Mathematics 52% 45%

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The percentages represent students who demonstrated the characteristics of entering kindergartners. Percentages have been rounded.

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS – Early Learning Collaboration Children’s pre-school experience has a profound effect on a

child’s life trajectory Quality environments matter Need to know how our children are doing to inform and

improve practice in the education and care continuum WaKIDS provides powerful data

WaKIDS -- ELC provides a critical element of our state’s P-3 system

Develop relationships across systems Data Sharing Inform and improve practice to support children

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

2011-2012 WaKIDS ELC “Pilot” 2011-2012 School Year ELC “pilot 2.0” through the Early

Learning Regional Coalitions Develop partnership between early learning and k-12 systems

and shared ownership/responsibility Created initial space and relationships to bridge the systems

to lay foundation for p-3 alignment Highlighted lessons learned, promising practices, and

conditions for success which has informed implementation moving forward

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

2012-2013 WaKIDS ELC Lessons learned informed 2012-2013 Implementation Shift to regional approach

ESDs are the regional implementation hubs for WaKIDS ELC Component is collaboratively implemented between ESDs and

Coalitions

WaKIDS – ELC Framework is the common foundation for all ELC work across the state

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS ELC Goals Build & strengthen relationships across systems Shared understanding & common expectation of K readiness Share emerging best practices Share & better familiarize with TS GOLD and the data

collected Analyze data Coordinate cross-sector convenings

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS ELC Framework• The Regional Early Learning Collaboration Steering Committee

Small, representative group of p-3 stakeholders

Operates as a subcommittee of the ELRC

Grapples with the WaKIDS data, considers what actions might be taken given the data on children in the region, develops a regional 2013-2014 action plan, and reports to the ESD and ELRC

• The Regional WaKIDS Convening participation from all participating WaKIDS kindergarten teachers, principals, early learning providers, and others

purpose of coming together to build relationships across the two systems, understand the seminal documents of both systems, and begin to build muscle around collaboration

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Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS ELC Evaluation Purpose

Build the case for WaKIDS ELC component Demonstrate the value

Rooted in the initial goals of the component Building relationships Increasing knowledge across systems

Main Components: Survey of regional (or district-level) convening participants WaKIDS ELC Regional Action Plans

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