Tag: kindergarten assessment

Kindergarten: It’s that time of the year!  

As the school year approaches, many young children and families are getting ready for their move from preschool to kindergarten. This experience is also called “kindergarten readiness.” But what does Kindergarten Readiness mean? And how does the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) support kindergarten readiness for Oregon’s families?

What is Kindergarten Readiness? 

Kindergarten readiness includes schools, caregivers, families, and children working together for a positive kindergarten year and a successful future of learning!  

Raising an eager learner is the goal, and it can be achieved through play and day-to-day activities.  

DELC’s Programs support Kindergarten Readiness! 

The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) offers programs that support children and families while also nurturing the growth of the whole child.  

These programs include: 

  • Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten 
  • Preschool Promise 
  • Home visiting programs like 
  • Healthy Families Oregon and  
  • Relief Nurseries 

Simply put, kindergarten readiness helps children have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success in school and for later learning and life.  

These are guidelines on skills that will support children in school. Every child is different and will learn at their own pace and in their own way. 

Kindergarten Readiness looks like:  

Approaches to Learning 
Children who are able to follow rules and routines with increased independence. 

Physical skills 
Children are able to hold and use a pencil or crayon, able to run, and jump with increased independence, 

Language and literacy 
Children are able to recognize and write their name, identify letters and numbers, and be familiar with basic sight words with increased independence. 

Math 
Children are able to identify numbers and count to 10 or recognize and create patterns with increased independence. 

Social and emotional skills 
Children are able to share with others, manage emotions, and resolve conflicts with peers with increased independence. 

For more information on the domains of learning and development, please reference the Oregon’s Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines. 

2017-18 Preliminary Kindergarten Assessment Results

2017-18 preliminary kindergarten assessment results show correlation with 3rd grade skills

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Early Learning Division (ELD) today jointly released results from the 2017-18 kindergarten assessment. This year, for the first time, there is a cohort of students who have taken both the kindergarten assessment and the 3rd grade assessment – providing more information for the state and local communities to use to target resources for young children.

“Although we only have one year of comparison data, there is a clear correlation between kindergarten assessment and third-grade assessment results. This confirms what we have always known: if we can support children to be ready for success when they enter kindergarten, they are more likely to be on track in 3rd grade,” said Miriam Calderon, Oregon’s early learning system director.

The kindergarten assessment is given each fall to entering kindergartners and provides a snapshot of students’ foundational skills in three core areas of learning and development: early literacy, early math and interpersonal/self-regulation skills.

2017-18 kindergarten assessment results

  • Early literacy skills remained about the same: Oregon kindergartners recognized 8.2 letter sounds, compared with 8.9 letter sounds in the 2016-17 school year; 14.4 uppercase letters, compared with 14.8 last year, and 12.1 lowercase letters, compared with 12.5 last year.
  • Early math scores showed an uptick, as students correctly answered 11.2 out of 16 simple math questions, compared with 8.5 of 16 last year. However, these changes may be due to changes to this portion of the assessment last year.
  • The interpersonal and self-regulation ratings were unchanged from last year.

Additional analyses will be released in the spring that provide disaggregated data by socio-demographic characteristics.  In addition, ODE and ELD will conduct more detailed analysis on students’ progression from kindergarten to third grade.

“Oregon made some important investments in early learning programs in recent years, but there is more work to do to reach all our children,” said Acting Deputy Superintendent Colt Gill. “We know quality early learning sets students on the path for success from kindergarten on through to graduation.”

Oregon’s 16 regional Early Learning Hubs, which work across education, health, human services, and businesses to support families with young children, use the assessment data to prioritize investments, such as Kindergarten Readiness Partnership and Innovation Funds (KRPI).

“As a community, this information provides us the opportunity to look at where and how to invest in services and early learning programs,” said Lisa Harnisch, executive director of the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub.

Kindergarten assessment results, including district-specific data, are available here: http://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Pages/Kindergarten-Assessment.aspx.The initial analysis on the correlation between the kindergarten and third-grade assessments is available under “2017-18 Interpretive Guidance.”

Questions about the assessment can be referred to Brett Walker at Brett.Walker@ode.oregon.gov or 503.378.5160.

Media Contact: Lisa Morawski, lisa.morawski@ode.oregon.gov, 503.510.5576.

Statewide Kindergarten Assessment Results Released

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”