jeff beal, ph.d. office of standards and assessment
TRANSCRIPT
Jeff Beal, Ph.D. Office of Standards and Assessment
Purpose
To provide teachers and parents with important criterion-based information about a child’s learning and development in six domains at the beginning of kindergarten.
Kindergarten Entry Assessment
Six DomainsMathematicsLanguageLiteracyCognitive/Approaches toward LearningSocial and Emotional DevelopmentPhysical and Motor Development
Kindergarten Entry Assessment
Integration with existing state P-20 longitudinal data system
Professional development for trainers, schools, and kindergarten teachers
Outreach and education for parents and families
KEA Components
KEA Request for Proposals was issued March 22, 2013
Teaching Strategies GOLD online was chosen as the pilot assessment
KEA Assessment
June 2013
Recruited schools to participate in Fall 2013 Pilot
Recruited trainers to train the kindergarten teachers participating in the pilot
Held Focus Groups
Compiled and analyzed results of Focus Groups to inform our communications and teacher training
Fall 2013 KEA Pilot
July 2013Conducted Accreditation Program for Trainers27 trainers were accredited and are available to
train kindergarten teachers for the next three yearsAugust 2013
Trained nearly 300 kindergarten teachers who participated in the pilot
All Michigan trainers were shadowed by a TS GOLD® trainer during their initial training session
Three training options were provided: in-person, webinar, and online
Fall 2013 KEA Pilot
Used assessment without customizationSeptember 3–October 18 was the observation
windowNovember 1 was the final date to submit
assessment data68 districts, 81 schools, 163 teachers, and 3,755
students successfully participatedReport Availability
Student, classroom, school, and district reports were immediately available
Fall 2013 Pilot
109 out of 121 teachers felt confident using TS GOLD
112 out of 121 choose time as the greatest challenge in using TS GOLD
The teachers that recommended TS GOLD replace other classroom assessments recommended that it replace DIBELS, MLPP, Fountas & Pinnell’s LLI, and district math and literacy assessments (8 out of 12 administrators also recommended that TS GOLD replace other classroom assessments)
2013 Pilot Survey Results
The main benefit I had using the KEA was that it made me have more 1 on 1 contact with each child at the beginning of the year. We made quicker connections.
It helped me modify what I do and to make my classroom a “child centered” place.
We had a speech pathologist help observe, so I had a better understanding of my students’ language capabilities
2013 Pilot Survey Results
My students’ social interactions became more of a focus for me.
I realized how many of my students cannot skip or hop. So at recess time we practice both of those skills.
I used the portfolios to show parents during conferences. They were amazed at the depth of knowledge I’d collected about their child!
The observational approach led me to capture a child on video retelling a story. I later shared this video with her parents who of course were so excited about her development.
2013 Pilot Survey Results
When having conferences with parents of a struggling child, I had this extra data to support my concerns…that was powerful to have!
I liked accessing the forms on the iPad and walking around the classroom to observe.
Jeff was very helpful when I had problems navigating the website.
2013 Pilot Survey Results
Recommendations for improvingGive teachers more time for data
entry/documentationReduce the number of itemsReduce the number of other assessments Provide iPad to each teacherProvide more professional development around
the KEA
2013 Pilot Survey Results
Fall 2014 Field test Recruitment of schools statewideTrain additional kindergarten teachers using online modulesSeptember – October field testFall 2015 Statewide implementationRecruitment of schools statewideTrain additional kindergarten teachers using online modulesSeptember – October Census
2014 and 2015 Implementation Activities
Jeff BealKindergarten Entry Assessment ConsultantOffice of Standards and AssessmentBureau of Assessment and AccountabilityMichigan Department of Education
KEA Information Contact