Washington's Kindergarten Entry Assessment Report

This descriptive study examines the development and early implementation of Kindergarten Entry Assessments or KEAs in 12 districts and 23 schools within four RTT-ELC states (Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington) during the 2014–15 school year. To see the entire report, go here: Case Studies of the Early Implementation of Kindergarten Entry Assessments (KEAs).

The study is intended to help states learn from the experiences of other states as they work to develop and implement their own KEAs and to use KEAs to improve instruction and learning.
Key findings:

State officials and stakeholders in all four case study states considered multiple criteria when developing or adopting KEA measures: 

• reliability and validity, 
• appropriateness for all students, 
• usefulness for informing classroom instruction, 
• usefulness for informing early learning policies and program improvement, 
• feasibility of administration by teachers, 
• and cost. 

The four states trained teachers on KEA administration through self-paced webinars, in-person presentations, and train-the-trainer models. A majority of the interviewed teachers said the training prepared them to administer the KEA to students, though many teachers reported that they had difficulty in determining what were appropriate accommodations for English learner (EL) students or (dual language learners) and students with disabilities and indicated that they needed further assistance. 

Recommendations for Policymakers & Administrators

• Be clear about how KEA results will and will not be used by interested groups (i.e early childhood programs, Kindergarten teachers, school administrators, parents and legislators). 
• Use KEA tools that will take into account students with disabilities and EL student populations. 
• Be aware of other assessment requirements placed on this population of students and if possible eliminate or combine other skills assessment/inventory requirements. Provide the teachers taking the inventory with assistance to minimize time collecting and reporting assessment data. 
• Properly prepare, train and provide guidance and coaching to teachers that will be administering KEA. This will help ensure consistent and uniform results to provide the most accurate snapshot of students’ abilities. 
• KEA results must be delivered in a user-friendly and timely report in order for educators and parents to best utilize the information to help address each student’s needs. 
• Tie results back to preschool instruction and analyze data in order to identify instructional areas that early learning programs could help children be better prepared for kindergarten. 

Washington State’s KEA is called the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills or WaKIDS. As with much of the work surrounding the early learning environment in Washington State, the Department of Early Learning (DEL) worked with public and private partners in developing WaKIDS. This includes:

• The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction 
• The Gates Foundation 
• Thrive Washington 
• The Early Learning Regional Coalitions 

There are three components to WaKIDS:

• Family connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child’s education. 
• Whole-child assessment helps kindergarten teachers learn about the skills and strengths of the children in their classrooms so they can meet the needs of each child. 
• Early learning collaboration aligns practices of early learning professionals and kindergarten teachers to support smooth transitions for children. 

The intended purposes of the Whole-Child Assessment component (i.e., GOLD®) of WaKIDS are to:

• Help kindergarten teachers plan classroom instruction and individualize educational supports for each student. 
• Engage, welcome, and partner with families and inform them about children’s learning strengths and needs. 
• Inform decisions about early learning and K–12 education policy and investments at the community, district, and state levels. 
• Inform early childhood education providers about children’s learning strengths and needs.

Washington WaKIDS Timeline

(Information from Exhibit 8)

2009: Legislature appropriates funds to identify and evaluate a KEA process.
2009–2010: Advisory team and committees review tools, select GOLD®, and develop WaKIDS administration process.
2010–2011: Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) is piloted and evaluated.
2011–2012: Legislature passes SB5427; WaKIDS is voluntary in state-funded full-day kindergartens this school year.
2012–2013: WaKIDS is mandatory in all state-funded full-day kindergartens this school year.

Exhibit 9. Percentages of Washington Students Demonstrating Kindergarten Readiness

Exhibit Reads: 40% of all Washington kindergarten students demonstrated skills indicating full kindergarten readiness. SOURCE: Data from State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction n.d.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Race to the Top: Grant Supports Significant Progress for WA Early Learners

This past October, Washington joined other RTT-ELC (Race to the Top, Early Learning Challenge) grant recipients (states who have received this game-changing grant award, which supports efforts towards successful comprehensive state systems and high-quality, accountable programs) for a three-day meeting in Arlington, VA. 

Bringing together state teams of RTT-ELC grantees to share information and discuss current issues related to early learning, this year’s meeting honored the nine “Phase-1” grant recipients (the first states awarded with RTT-ELC grant funding) by presenting them with “The Little Engine that Could” signed by Libby Doggett and Linda Smith, along with a personalized note from Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education. 

During the presentation, federal program officers highlighted the progress achieved by each of the early grant recipients.  

In 2014, Washington's Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge was one of refinement and tailoring to ensure the strongest outcomes possible. Washington made significant progress among all of the reform areas outlined in the RTT-ELC application. Some noteworthy accomplishments of Washington state, also included in the Annual Performance Report (APR), are:

• At the end of 2014, total participation in Early Achievers, (Washington’s quality rating and improvement system) was 2,448, reaching 43% of licensed providers, and 182 ECEAP contractors/Head Start grantees; Early Achievers is reaching 66,413 children, or 85% of the RTT-ELC target.

• Increased quality focus in state subsidy through implementation of tiered reimbursement aligned with the Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS).

• Infant/Toddler Coaching and Consultation is integrated with Early Achievers and available to Early Achievers participants to improve the quality of infant/toddler classrooms.

• Early Achievers Institutes, which provide focused professional development to child care and early learning professionals participating in Early Achievers, are offered by the University of Washington (UW). The Institutes offer sessions ranging from improving instructional support to incorporating developmental screenings. Begun in 2013, the Institutes have been held 6 times across the state (in English and Spanish) and have been attended by 1,500 participants (four additional institutes are offered throughout 2015).

• Technical assistance specialists and coaches reflect community diversity in staff composition and culturally competent practices. Of the 78 coaches and technical assistance specialists, 34% speak a second language in addition to English including Spanish, Somali, Russian, Vietnamese, Swahili, Tagalog, Hindi, and Arabic.

• Washington uses Teaching Strategies GOLD® as its Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA), and in 2014 assessed 43,298 kindergarten students, reaching for the first time over half (52%) of the state's kindergartners, more than doubling participation in two years. Known as the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills, or WaKIDS, Washington’s KEA process includes whole-child assessment, family connection and early learning collaboration, supporting a successful start to a child’s K-12 experience and connects to with key adults.

• Washington is beginning the development of an Early Childhood Education Career Planning Portal. This portal is a way for professionals to learn about early learning career pathways and the colleges and universities that offer degrees and certifications towards their chosen career.

• Sustaining progress of RTT-ELC: The Early Start Act was approved by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Inslee July, 2015. This historic legislation invests in expanding high quality early learning for Washington’s children and families, building on the progress made by RTT-ELC, particularly in our most diverse and vulnerable communities. For child care providers, the Early Start Act focuses on supporting high quality early learning services through Early Achievers and ensures that child care providers, especially those who serve low income families, receive needed support and resources to sustain high quality programming.

To read Washington’s 2014 federal report and see the federal summary for all RTT-ELC states, click here: 2014 Report.

Follow progress on participation in Early Achievers by clicking here: Early Achievers Progress.

A personal note from Director Bette Hyde

The Department of Early Learning announced today that Dr. Bette Hyde will leave her position as director after six years of leading the department. Dr. Hyde will stay until August 31 to complete work in the legislative session which has a heavy early learning agenda and to provide time to find a new director.

Since taking the directorship in early 2009, Dr. Hyde has made significant strides in improving the quality and availability of early learning opportunities for the youngest Washingtonians. Under Dr Hyde’s leadership, the department developed a comprehensive 10 year early learning plan in Washington State that supported the development of ready and successful children, families, early learning professionals, schools, and communities.

One of Dr. Hyde’s proudest accomplishments is the creation and dissemination of the Early Learning and Development Guidelines, Birth Through 3rd Grade. These guidelines support families and providers in the recognition and cultivation of key developmental milestones for children from birth through 3rd grade. These guidelines are a useful tool for everyone who loves, cares for and educates young children. The guidelines also promote a whole child approach that acknowledges and honors the diversity of our state.

“We have made great progress in building a quality early learning system that is nationally recognized. While there is always more to do, I am honored by the partnerships we have established with fellow state agencies and community partners” Hyde said.

Other key accomplishments under Dr. Hyde’s leadership include: the launch of WAKids, a transition process and evaluation tool that enables a more successful start in K12 education for early learners; the development and implementation of Early Achievers, our state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System; and, the award of a $60 million Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge federal grant and a $43 million federal Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program grant.

“Under Bette’s leadership, Washington has made tremendous strides forward in improving access to high quality early learning opportunities for Washington’s families,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “I couldn’t be more proud of everything Bette has accomplished and appreciate her role in putting Washington on the map as a leader in early learning. The work of her and her team means thousands of Washington children are on the path to a brighter future.”

Prior to her directorship with the Department of Early Learning, Dr. Hyde served as superintendent of the Bremerton School District, a special education teacher, and a school psychologist, deputy superintendent for Puget Sound Educational Service District, a building principal and assistant superintendent in the Seattle, Vashon Island, and Highline school districts.

Washington throws its hat in the ring for federal early learning grant

Washington state has submitted its application for a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant. The federal grant will provide $500 million in state-level competitive grants to improve early learning and development programs. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) is leading Washington’s application for the grant, which could bring up to $60 million to our state over four years to support early learning for our children.

RTT-ELC is meant to help states raise the quality of early learning programs so that children start school ready to succeed.
Governor Chris Gregoire said of Washington's application, “This application is bold and it is ambitious, but it is also achievable, and that is what the grant competition is all about. We have submitted a plan that will push our state forward in providing the kind of high-quality early learning opportunities our youngest learners need and deserve."

Washington's application lays out a plan for how to use the grant money:

• Expand the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS), our state’s kindergarten readiness assessment, to include all incoming kindergarteners by school year 2014-15.
• Take to scale our state’s quality rating and improvement system, which helps early learning programs improve the quality of care and education they provide to young children and provides information on quality to families.
• Enhance the state professional development system by offering awards and incentives to those who work with and care for young children.

"This is an important opportunity to help Washington children," DEL Director Bette Hyde said. "Washington is uniquely positioned to move forward quickly if we win a grant because of the work we’ve already done with WaKIDS and QRIS."

DEL created a webpage to keep the early learning community informed about progress on RTT-ELC. That page includes fast facts about Washington's application.

The Associated Press ran a story about Washington's application, "State seeks $60M from feds for preschools."

Today, DEL representatives updated the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee about the RTT-ELC and other DEL news. That hearing will be available on TVW's website.

DEL will continue to tweet information about the application and related news using the hashtag #rttt (which stands for Race to the Top) at www.twitter.com/DEL_wa.