Massachusetts Kindergarten Entrance Assessment (MKEA)
Download
Report
Transcript Massachusetts Kindergarten Entrance Assessment (MKEA)
Massachusetts Kindergarten
Entry Assessment (MKEA)
FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MAY 27, 2014
Agenda
Background
MKEA Initiative
MKEA Details
Teaching Strategies Gold
Domains
Technology Requirements
Timeline
Professional Development
Future
Questions
MKEA Initiative
From MKEA website:
In collaboration with the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, EEC is implementing the
Massachusetts Kindergarten Entry Assessment
(MKEA) system, which will support school districts in using a
formative assessment tool that measures growth and learning
across all developmental domains during the child’s
kindergarten year. As part of the MKEA initiative, school
districts will use a formative assessment tool that is evidence
based and aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum
Frameworks. EEC has identified Teaching Strategies-GOLD
System as the assessment tool for cohorts 3 and 4.
MKEA Background
MKEA initiative stems for the federal identification of
the need to improve Grade 3 test results across the
country
Identified that Birth-5 is where the greatest need is
Ability for federal and state government to impact Birth-
5 arena is limited, therefore the impact is on
Kindergarten
Federal requirement for compliance is mandatory for
Race To The Top states
Must implement a kindergarten entry assessment
Massachusetts is a RTTT state
Franklin receives no RTTT funding, but this impact our Full Day
Kindergarten grant monies
MKEA Background
Kindergarten entry assessments provide a snapshot
of a child’s development
At least 25 states now have laws mandating some
type of kindergarten entry assessment
Kindergarten entry assessments can be used for a
variety of purposes
Screening children to identify possible developmental
concerns
Providing information to teachers to inform instruction
Providing policymakers information on trends over time to
inform policy and funding decisions
MKEA Background
Massachusetts has chosen to extend beyond the
federal requirements
All districts with full day Kindergarten grants are required to
participate regardless of RTTT status
K Grant funding in Franklin exceeds $200,000 annually
MA is implementing the assessment using a four year phase-in
process
We are part of cohort 3 and required to administer these
assessments in 2014-2015 or we will lose our K grant funding
Massachusetts selected and is requiring use of a commercial
product called Teaching Strategies Gold
Teaching Strategies Gold
From MKEA website:
Teaching Strategies GOLD is an assessment system for children from
birth through kindergarten designed to help teachers: observe and
document children’s development and learning over time; support,
guide, and inform planning and instruction; identify children who
might benefit from special help, screening, or further evaluation; and
report and communicate with family members and others. Teaching
Strategies GOLD also enables to teachers to (1) collect and gather
child outcome information as one part of a larger accountability
system and (2) provide reports to administrators to guide program
planning and professional development opportunities. Teaching
Strategies GOLD addresses the following Developmental Domains:
(1) Social-Emotional, (2) Physical, (3) Language, (4) Cognition, (5)
Literacy, (6) Mathematics, (7) Science and Technology, (8) Social
Studies, (9) The Arts, and (10) English Language Acquisition.
Teaching Strategies Gold
Compatible with NAEYC
Teaching Strategies Gold is a comprehensive
assessment system
All assessments are based on observing children and recording
data
Children are not “tested” using paper/pencil
Will administer a formative (diagnostic) assessment in the fall
Will administer a summative assessment in the spring to
determine growth over time
Designed to look at program quality and outcome data
Not a kindergarten readiness tool
Domains
There are 10 domains and 38 objectives covered by
Teaching Strategies Gold
Aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum
Frameworks
Covers all aspects of development and learning
MA is requiring that we test all K children next year in parts of
2 domains
Social-Emotional (all objectives)
Cognitive (not all objectives this year)
Approaches to Play and Learning
In 2015-2016 will assess all 10 domains:
Social-Emotional
Physical
Language
Cognitive
Literacy
Mathematics
Science and Technology
Social Studies
The Arts
English Language Acquisition
Technology Requirements
Software program and licenses provided in year one,
possibly longer
Long term costs not yet addressed
Teachers must take data while working with students
Teachers will be able to generate reports to access data
Class profile, individual students, development and learning
Family communication tools in the assessment system
Use of a portable device makes this more efficient
Purchasing laptops in this fiscal year from remaining grant funds
and operating budgets
Will replace current desktops used by teachers
These will be repurposed in the district
All data must be uploaded to DESE
Professional Development
State mandated training for all teachers involved in
administering assessments:
Classrooms, special education, Title I, ELL
Two full days of training is required
State offering limited stipends or compensation for subs to
districts
Training to be done by Collaborative Education
Services- consulting group
They are the only state approved provider
Timeline
Assessments must be administered by mid-October
Data upload by mid-November
Spring assessment dates not yet set
Training of K teachers arranged for 9/3 and 9/4
Start date for K student 9/5 (Friday) which will be
an orientation day
Principals will develop plan for that day and communicate
with families
Students will begin full day K on 9/8 (Monday)
Questions
http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-
education-and-care/mkea/