School Readiness Assessment
Menu Update
Pursuant SB 08-212
Colorado’s Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K)
Presentation to the State Board of Education, September 2014
Purpose
 To provide the State Board of Education information about the
recommended assessment menu additions from the School
Readiness Assessment Subcommittee
Overview of School Readiness
within CAP4K
 Requirements of State Board
 Define school readiness
 Adopt one or more assessments aligned with definition of school
readiness
 Following adoption of the school readiness assessment, the state
board is required to adopt a system for reporting population-level
results that provide baseline data for measuring overall change and
improvement in students' skills and knowledge over time.
 Requirements of local education providers
 Beginning in the fall of 2013, ensure all children in publicly funded
preschool or kindergarten receive an Individual School Readiness
Plan
 Administer the school readiness assessment to each student in
kindergarten
Timeline for Colorado’s School
Readiness Initiative
 December 2012: State Board votes to offer districts a menu of school
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readiness assessments and approved Teaching Strategies GOLD as the first
assessment
Fall 2013: School Readiness Committee conducts a second assessment
review process; no additional assessments found to meet criteria
December 2013: State Board agrees to department recommendation to
extend phase-in period to 2015-16
August 2014: School Readiness Committee conducts a third assessment
review process
September 2014: Department presents recommended assessment menu
additions to State Board
October 2014: State Board votes on recommendations
Context
 Beginning year two of a three year phase-in process of school
readiness assessment
 Year 1: 88 districts, 424 schools, ~12,000 children
 Year 2: 108 districts, 533 schools, ~16,000 children
 Feedback from teachers and administrators
 Value choice in assessment selection
 Shift in thinking about the role and value of observational
assessment for young children as teachers learn the tool
 General concerns about assessment requirements consistent with
WestEd study (i.e., time, cost, duplication)
 How the school readiness assessment works with reading
assessments
Assessment Review Criteria
Requirements
The assessment…
Has strong psychometric properties
Provides information related to statutorily required areas
Is research based
Promotes assessment practices appropriate for young children
Is aligned to standards
Increases opportunities to learn
Has a clear rating system
Allows for authentic based assessment strategies
Has features that make broad participation likely
Desired Attributes
Includes a method for ensuring quality use
Has online functionality
Assessments Reviewed
Assessment
Publisher
Desired Results Developmental Profile California Department of Education
(DRDP-K 2015)
Kindergarten Early Learning Scale (KELS)
Lakeshore
Riverside Early Assessments of
Learning (REAL)
Riverside
Teaching Strategies GOLD Survey
Teaching Strategies, LLC
Work Sampling System, 5th edition
Pearson
Other state systems (Oregon and
Georgia)
Respective state departments of
education
Subcommittee Recommendation
 Add the following assessments to the State Board approved
menu of assessments
 Riverside Early Assessments of Learning (REAL)
 Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP-K 2015)
 Teaching Strategies GOLD Survey
Additional Information about the
Recommended Assessments
Assessment
Teaching Strategies
GOLD
Cost per
Student
$9.95
Training
Required: Online
inter-rater reliability
Optional: Multiple free
online modules and
fee based face-to-face
trainings
Training Cost
Free online modules
Option face-to-face
training available:
$2225/group
Desired Results
Developmental
Profile (DRDP-K
2015)
$8.00 with
Fee based face-to-face
possible
trainings
additional cost
for online
component
1 day: $150/participant
2 days:
$250/participant
3 days:
$350/participant
Riverside Early
Assessments of
Learning (REAL)
$12.99
$2800/group for faceto-face trainings
Required: Fee based 1
day face-to-face
training or
2 online modules
$400/group for online
modules
Next Steps
 October State Board meeting
 State Board votes on additions to the school readiness assessment
menu
 Continued support to districts for implementation
 School readiness assessment guidance document
 Funding for school readiness assessment subscriptions through
2015-16 from the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Fund
 Technical assistance for implementation of school readiness in
tandem with the READ Act
 Plan templates available (School readiness, READ, combined)