Welcome to Early Learning Regional Coalition Statewide Meeting May 15,

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills WaKIDS: Washington’s Kindergarten Entry Process 2 “Whole Child” Assessment Teaching Strategies GOLD measures six areas of development and learning Family Connection Teachers welcome families and students individually to school as partners in their children’s education Early Learning Collaboration Kindergarten teachers and early learning professionals share information and expertise

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills 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 3

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills OSPI Kindergarten Readiness Survey 2005 OSPI Kindergarten Readiness Survey Department of Early Learning established; Thrive by Five created 2006 Department of Early Learning established; Thrive by Five created Legislature initiates state-funded full-day kindergarten; establishes 2017– 2018 timetable for implementation (RCW 28A ) 2007 Legislature initiates state-funded full-day kindergarten; establishes 2017– 2018 timetable for implementation (RCW 28A ) Legislature appropriates funding to DEL to pilot a kindergarten assessment process 2009 Legislature appropriates funding to DEL to pilot a kindergarten assessment process Three WaKIDS assessments are piloted 2010 Three WaKIDS assessments are piloted WaKIDS is piloted using chosen assessment; 6,661 students participate. Legislature requires WaKIDS in SF FDK, beginning 2012—2013 (RCW 28A ) 2011 WaKIDS is piloted using chosen assessment; 6,661 students participate. Legislature requires WaKIDS in SF FDK, beginning 2012—2013 (RCW 28A ) Department of Early Learning awarded Race to the Top Grant; includes funding for WaKIDS 2011 Department of Early Learning awarded Race to the Top Grant; includes funding for WaKIDS 2011 Over 21,000 students participate in WaKIDS 2012 Over 21,000 students participate in WaKIDS 2012 The Path to WaKIDS: Some Key Steps 4

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? 5

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills Over 21,000 Students Participated in Fall 2012 WaKIDS Demographic ComparisonWaKIDSStatewide K American Indian or Alaska Native1.8%1.3% Asian4.7%6.2% Black/African American6.9%4.4% Hispanic38.4%24.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander1.2%1.0% White34.2%54.9% Two or More Races5.7%7.9% Not Provided7.1%0.0% Male51.5%51.8% Female48.5%48.2% Special Ed8.3%9.2% Bilingual30.3%18.5% Free-Reduced Lunch68.9%48.3% Total Students21,81183,255 6

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills Fall 2012 WaKIDS Students’ Skill Levels Varied Across Areas of Development and Learning 7

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills Fall 2012 WaKIDS Students’ Skill Levels Varied Within Areas of Development and Learning 8

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills Statewide, the Opportunity Gap is Evident in the First Few Weeks of Kindergarten 9

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills Children of All Races Are Represented Across All Levels of Development 10

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 Lunch WaKIDS (N = ~14,200 students) Social Emotional Development 74%71% Physical Development79%77% Language Development66%60% Cognitive Development71%66% Literacy72%67% Mathematics52%45% 11 The percentages represent students who demonstrated the characteristics of entering kindergartners. Percentages have been rounded. 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 12

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills WaKIDS ELC “Pilot”  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 13

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills WaKIDS ELC  Lessons learned informed 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 14

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 15

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 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 16

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 17