PDF MINNESOTA SCHOOL READINESS - Minnesota Legislature

[Pages:72]MINNESOTA SCHOOL

READINESS

YEAR TWO STUDY:

Fall 2003

Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance

Acknowledgements

The Minnesota School Readiness Year Two Study: Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance Fall 2003 was planned, implemented, and the report prepared by the Minnesota School Readiness Study Team representing the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).

Team members include: Karen Carlson, Director, MDE Betty Cooke, MDE Elizabeth Kane, DHS Wayne Kuklinski, MDE Anita Larson, Data Consultant Barbara O Sullivan, DHS Deb Swenson-Klatt, DHS Nancy Wallace, Assessment Consultant Avisia Whiteman, DHS

Special thanks to the 52 Minnesota elementary schools involved in the study and their principals and kindergarten teachers. The observation and collection of developmental information by these kindergarten teachers on all kindergarten children in their classrooms was essential to the study and is much appreciated. In addition, thanks to the many community members who serve on the study advisory committee for their advice and support.

For more information contact: Betty Cooke at 651.582.8329 or betty.cooke@state.mn.us or Barbara O Sullivan at 651.297.2070 or barbara.osullivan@state.mn.us

' 2004, Minnesota Department of Education Date of Report: February 2004

Table of Contents

Minnesota School Readiness Year Two Study: Developmental Assessment at

Kindergarten Entrance Fall 2003

page

Background

1

Minnesota School Readiness Study:

Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance

1

Definition of School Readiness

2

2002 Pilot School Readiness Study Summary

2

Year Two Study Implementation

4

Continued Use of Work Sampling System? of Child

Assessment and Developmental Checklist

4

Parent Survey

6

Study Preparation

7

Sample Demographics

8

Year Two Results

11

Results of Year Two Developmental Assessment

at Kindergarten Entrance

11

Physical Development

13

Personal and Social Development

13

The Arts

15

Language and Literacy

16

Mathematical Thinking

18

Summary of Year Two Data

20

Gender and MARSS Code

21

Comparison of Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten

Entrance Year One Pilot Study Results to Year Two Results

22

Year Two Results on Early Childhood Care and Education

Experience

24

Year Two Results on Family Information

29

Relationship of Year Two Developmental Assessment

Results to Gender Results

32

Table of Contents

Minnesota School Readiness Year Two Study: Developmental Assessment at

Kindergarten Entrance Fall 2003

page

Background

1

Minnesota School Readiness Study:

Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance

1

Definition of School Readiness

2

2002 Pilot School Readiness Study Summary

2

Year Two Study Implementation

4

Continued Use of Work Sampling System? of Child

Assessment and Developmental Checklist

4

Parent Survey

6

Study Preparation

7

Sample Demographics

8

Year Two Results

11

Results of Year Two Developmental Assessment

at Kindergarten Entrance

11

Physical Development

13

Personal and Social Development

13

The Arts

15

Language and Literacy

16

Mathematical Thinking

18

Summary of Year Two Data

20

Gender and MARSS Code

21

Comparison of Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten

Entrance Year One Pilot Study Results to Year Two Results

22

Year Two Results on Early Childhood Care and Education

Experience

24

Year Two Results on Family Information

29

Relationship of Year Two Developmental Assessment

Results to Gender Results

32

page

Relationship of Year Two Developmental Assessment

Results to Family Information Results

34

Developmental Assessment Results By Parent Education Level

34

Developmental Assessment Results By Household Income

36

Developmental Assessment Results By Kindergartner Race/Ethnicity 37

Developmental Assessment Results By Household Income and

Parent Education Level

39

Developmental Assessment Results By Household Income and

Kindergartner Race/Ethnicity

44

Principal and Teacher Survey Results

46

Principal Perspectives

46

Teacher Perspectives

47

Limitations

48

Conclusions

50

About Child Assessment Results

50

About the Study Process

52

Recommendations

53

About Child Assessment Results

53

About the Study Process

55

References

57

Appendices A. The Minnesota Work Sampling System (WSS)? Kindergarten Entry Developmental Checklist and Parent Survey

B. Preschool-4 and Kindergarten Development Guidelines (4th Edition) Side-by-Side Rationales and Examples for a Sample of Selected 32 Work Sampling System (WSS)? Indicators

59-60 61-65

? The Work Sampling System is a registered trademark of Pearson Education, Inc.

publishing as Pearson Early Learning.

List of Charts and Tables

page

Table 1. Geographic Distribution of Year Two Sample Kindergartners

by Strata Compared to Statewide Kindergarten Population

1

Chart 1. Year One and Year Two School Readiness Study Sample

School Demographics Compared to Statewide School

Demographics

1

Table 2. Readiness Levels by Domain

12

Chart 2. Physical Development Domain Summary Data

13

Chart 3. Personal and Social Development Domain Summary Data

14

Chart 4. The Arts Domain Summary Data

15

Chart 5. Language and Literacy Domain Summary Data

17

Chart 6. Mathematical Thinking Domain Summary Data

18

Table 3. Readiness Levels by Domain Indicators Ranked by

Proficiency Rating

19

Table 4. Comparison of Year One and Year Two Developmental

Assessment Results

22

Table 5. Comparison of Year One and Year Two Proficient Readiness

Level by Domain Indicators Ranked by Proficiency Rating

23

Table 6. Type of Early Childhood Care and Education Experience

25

Chart 7. Type of Early Childhood Care and Education Experience

25

Table 7. Number of Children s Early Childhood Care and Education

Experiences in the Past Year

26

Table 8. Type of Early Childhood Care and Education Experience in

Which Children Spent the Most Time in the Previous Year

26

Chart 8. Type of Early Childhood Care and Education Experience in

Which Children Spent the Most Time in the Previous Year

27

Table 9. Relationship of Respondent to Kindergartner

29

Table 10. Parent Education Level

29

Table 11. Household Income

30

Table 12. Race or Ethnic Group

30

Table 13. Number of Races or Ethnic Groups of Kindergartners

31

page

Table 14. Language Spoken Most Often at Home

31

Table 15. Receipt of Special Education through an IEP or IIIP

32

Table 16. Domain Averages for Children by Gender

33

Chart 9. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by Gender

33

Table 17. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by Parent

Education Level

35

Chart 10. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by Parent

Education Level

35

Table 18. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Household Income

36

Chart 11. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Household Income

37

Table 19. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Race/Ethnicity (White and Non-White)

38

Chart 12. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Race/Ethnicity (White and Non-White)

38

Table 20. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Household Income and Parent Education Level

43

Chart 13. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by

Household Income and Parent Education Level

43

Table 21. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by Household

Income and Race/Ethnicity (White and Non-White)

45

Chart 14. Domain Averages for Children Rated Not Yet by Household

Income and Race/Ethnicity (White and Non-White)

45

Background

Minnesota School Readiness Study: Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance

A large and growing body of research supports the critical relationship between early childhood experiences and successful life-long outcomes. In recognition of this, in 2002 the then Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning included within their goal of High Achievement for All Students the indicator: Increase the percentage of young children who are ready for school. The report, Minnesota School Readiness Initiative: Developmental Assessment at Kindergarten Entrance Fall 2002 Pilot Study (2003), documents the school readiness of a sample of Minnesota kindergartners in the fall of 2002. The recently renamed Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), continues emphasis on accountability as part of the theme of academic excellence. Assessing the readiness of children as they enter school is a high priority. This report describes findings from Year Two of the assessment of school readiness with a larger random sample of children entering kindergarten in fall 2003.

It is the intent of the Minnesota School Readiness Study to use results to inform school administrators and teachers; parents; early childhood care and education teachers, providers, and administrators; policymakers; and the public about progress towards the goals of ensuring that children are ready for school and schools are ready for children. It is expected that the results will promote children s learning and development over time by improving early childhood programs and services, better preparing schools to meet the needs of children as they enter school, and easing the transition for children and families from home to school. The information gathered to complete the developmental checklists is a valuable resource to teachers in modifying curriculum, working with individual children in their classrooms, preparing for parent conferences, and identifying children eligible for Title I and other services.

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