Presented at State Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) Conference San Antonio, Texas February, 2012 Comprehensive Assessment in Early Childhood: How Assessments Can Shape Policy and Improve Practice Kathy Hebbeler SRI International

Purpose of the assessment is a critical driver of many other decisions 2 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Why build a statewide measurement system for young children? Accountability Program Improvement 3 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

More specifically…. Improve transition [to kindergarten] Inform instruction in the classroom Inform parents of the child’s status Screen for delays or disabilities Determine the status of the population– social benchmarking 4Early Childhood Outcomes Center

And even more purposes… Make planning decisions at the building, district, or state level Examine the effectiveness of the program –Growth over one year* –Performance years later (longitudinal) 5Early Childhood Outcomes Center *Need more than an entry assessment

Decisions that follow from purposes Who is assessed? Who administers the assessment? How often to assess? –[For KEA: Entry only or Entry plus?] What kind of assessment? Who sees the results? Who will (or is expected to) to act on the results? 6 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Results Matter Colorado and Nebraska 7 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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System Features Observation-based assessment completed by teachers –Significant investment in professional development Assessment administered several times a year to all children in participating programs Data entered online Different levels of reports for different audiences (child, classroom, building, district, state) Plans to link data to K-12 9 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Program Improvement Purposes Inform instruction –Data on all children No sampling –Multiple time points (Fall, Winter, Spring) –Child and classroom level reports Early Childhood Outcomes Center10

What was learned… Ongoing stakeholder involvement has been critical for buy-in –Initial decision-making and ongoing feedback Teachers have embraced the observation- based assessments –Created an assessment culture –Results filled an information void Up to 3 years for teacher to get proficient 11Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Program Improvement Purposes Improve transition Receiving teacher has access to previous year’s assessments Early Childhood Outcomes Center12

Program Improvement Purposes Make planning decisions at the building, district or state level Online system generates reports at the building, district, or state level Administrators at these levels have access to the data Early Childhood Outcomes Center13

Program Improvement Purposes Determine program effectiveness Multiple points of data to examine growth over the program System will link preschool assessment data for program attendees to K-12 data Early Childhood Outcomes Center14

Accountability Purposes Generate state level analyses for federal reporting (only for children in EI or ECSE) Produce information for the state’s annual report State has access to the data State can analyze the data and produce many different kinds of analyses Early Childhood Outcomes Center 15

Early Childhood Outcomes Center16

Early Childhood Outcomes Center17

18 Early Childhood Outcomes Center Purpose Data Collection and Transmission Analysis Reporting Using Data Evaluation Cross-System Coordination Components Quality Indicators Purpose 1.State has articulated purpose(s) of COMS. Data Collection and Transmission 2.Data collection procedures are carried out efficiently and effectively. 3.Providers, supervisors, and others involved in data collection have the required knowledge, skills, and commitment. 4.State's method for entering, transmitting, and storing data is effective and efficient. Analysis 5.State identifies accountability and program improvement questions related to child outcomes. 6.Local programs identify accountability and program improvement questions related to child outcomes. 7.State agency analyzes data in a timely manner. 8.Local programs analyze data in a timely manner. 9.State agency ensures completeness and accuracy of data. Reporting 10.State agency interprets, reports, and communicates information related to child outcomes. 11.Local programs interpret, report, and communicate information related to child outcomes. Using Data 12.State agency makes regular use of information on child outcomes to improve programs. 13.Local programs makes regular use of information on child outcomes to improve programs. Evaluation 14.State evaluates its COMS regularly. Cross-system Coordination 15.Part C and 619 coordinate child outcomes measurement. 16.Child outcomes measurement is integrated across early childhood (EC) programs statewide. 17.Child outcomes measurement is aligned with state’s early learning guidelines/standards. 18.State has a longitudinal data system to link child outcomes data from EC program participation to K–12 data. Elements a. State has… b. State has… c. State agency.. d. Representative.. e. State agency… f. State …… g. State provides… h. State has..

Conclusions Articulate the purpose(s) Design the assessment system to align with the purpose(s) Invest in building capacity –To collect data –To interpret and act on the data 19 Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Additional Resource Kindergarten Assessment Process Planning Report (2008) 20 Early Childhood Outcomes Center Report on a process to help Washington State plan for their KEA.