School Readiness Assessment Menu Update Pursuant SB 08

School Readiness Assessment Menu Update Pursuant SB 08 -212 Colorado’s Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP 4 K) Presentation to the State Board of Education, September 2014

Purpose § To provide the State Board of Education information about the recommended assessment menu additions from the School Readiness Assessment Subcommittee

Overview of School Readiness within CAP 4 K § Requirements of State Board § Define school readiness § Adopt one or more assessments aligned with definition of school readiness § Following adoption of the school readiness assessment, the state board is required to adopt a system for reporting population-level results that provide baseline data for measuring overall change and improvement in students' skills and knowledge over time. § Requirements of local education providers § Beginning in the fall of 2013, ensure all children in publicly funded preschool or kindergarten receive an Individual School Readiness Plan § Administer the school readiness assessment to each student in kindergarten

Timeline for Colorado’s School Readiness Initiative § December 2012: State Board votes to offer districts a menu of school § § § readiness assessments and approved Teaching Strategies GOLD as the first assessment Fall 2013: School Readiness Committee conducts a second assessment review process; no additional assessments found to meet criteria December 2013: State Board agrees to department recommendation to extend phase-in period to 2015 -16 August 2014: School Readiness Committee conducts a third assessment review process September 2014: Department presents recommended assessment menu additions to State Board October 2014: State Board votes on recommendations

Context § Beginning year two of a three year phase-in process of school readiness assessment § Year 1: 88 districts, 424 schools, ~12, 000 children § Year 2: 108 districts, 533 schools, ~16, 000 children § Feedback from teachers and administrators § Value choice in assessment selection § Shift in thinking about the role and value of observational assessment for young children as teachers learn the tool § General concerns about assessment requirements consistent with West. Ed study (i. e. , time, cost, duplication) § How the school readiness assessment works with reading assessments

Assessment Review Criteria Requirements The assessment… Has strong psychometric properties Provides information related to statutorily required areas Is research based Promotes assessment practices appropriate for young children Is aligned to standards Increases opportunities to learn Has a clear rating system Allows for authentic based assessment strategies Has features that make broad participation likely Desired Attributes Includes a method for ensuring quality use Has online functionality

Assessments Reviewed Assessment Publisher Desired Results Developmental Profile California Department of Education (DRDP-K 2015) Kindergarten Early Learning Scale (KELS) Lakeshore Riverside Early Assessments of Learning (REAL) Riverside Teaching Strategies GOLD Survey Teaching Strategies, LLC Work Sampling System, 5 th edition Pearson Other state systems (Oregon and Georgia) Respective state departments of education

Subcommittee Recommendation § Add the following assessments to the State Board approved menu of assessments § Riverside Early Assessments of Learning (REAL) § Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP-K 2015) § Teaching Strategies GOLD Survey

Additional Information about the Recommended Assessments Assessment Cost per Student Training Required: Online inter -rater reliability Optional: Multiple free online modules and fee based face-to-face trainings Training Cost Teaching Strategies GOLD $9. 95 Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP-K 2015) $8. 00 with Fee based face-to-face possible trainings additional cost for online component 1 day: $150/participant 2 days: $250/participant 3 days: $350/participant Riverside Early Assessments of Learning (REAL) $12. 99 $2800/group for faceto-face trainings Required: Fee based 1 day face-to-face training or 2 online modules Free online modules Option face-to-face training available: $2225/group $400/group for online modules

Next Steps § October State Board meeting § State Board votes on additions to the school readiness assessment menu § Continued support to districts for implementation § School readiness assessment guidance document § Funding for school readiness assessment subscriptions through 2015 -16 from the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Fund § Technical assistance for implementation of school readiness in tandem with the READ Act § Plan templates available (School readiness, READ, combined)