A Statewide Snapshot of Early Skills, An Opportunity to Focus on Equity
Salem, OR (January 14, 2015)—The results of the 2014-2015 Oregon Kindergarten Assessment were released today. This is the second year the state has collected a snapshot of children’s skills and knowledge when they first enter kindergarten.
The state of Oregon wants to ensure that student success starts early. Children currently enter kindergarten having had a wide variety of informal and formal early childhood experiences. The Kindergarten Assessment provides a means by which to honor the diverse early experiences children have before they enter school while highlighting areas where resources can be targeted to better serve families and children. The Kindergarten Assessment also gives schools additional information that can inform how they invest their limited resources in supporting the social, emotional, and academic development of students in the early elementary grades.
The assessment is not a comprehensive look at what children know, but rather focuses on a few of the skills that have been shown to be predictive of success in later learning. The Kindergarten Assessment results provide a snapshot of the extent to which children are starting school with the skills that will allow them to engage in and benefit from the opportunities and experiences provided to them.
“Research is clear that the experiences children have in their earliest years set the stage for future learning and success,” said Megan Irwin, Acting Early Learning System Director. “We know that supporting all young children and families to learn and thrive will not only benefit children and families in the short term, but the investment will benefit our schools, our communities and our state’s future prosperity. This data elevates the need for that investment and the need to make sure equity is front and center in all of our early learning strategies.” Continue reading “Statewide Kindergarten Assessment Results Released”