Maryland Public Schools: #1 in the Nation AGAIN in 2012

Building an Integrated System to Link Early

Childhood Assessment with K-12

Kindergarten Entry Assessment as the Fulcrum of the Birth-Grade 3 Continuum

NGA – Policy Institute

Arlington, VA

May 9-10, 2012

State Level Governance Structure

Governor’s Office

Governor’s Office of Children(GOC)

Children’s Cabinet

(Chair: Executive Director, GOC)

(Education, Health, Juvenile Justice, Welfare, Aging, Disabilities)

Maryland State Board of Education

Maryland Early Childhood Advisory Council

(Chair: State Superintendent of Schools)

Total - 371,956◦ Male - 192,056 (52%)◦ Female - 179,900 (48%)

Children Under 5 Years of Age

POVERTY BY RACE/ETHNICITY, Children Under 5 At or above

Poverty Level

Below Poverty

Level

Below Poverty

Level (%)

White 182,627 14,845 7%

Black or African American 88,342 22,106 20%

Hispanic or Latino 41,166 7,473 15%

Asian 18,134 1,055 5%

Some other Race Alone 15,379 2,213 12%

Two or More Races 18,185 3,248 15%

DEMOGRAPHICS # %

Total Number of Children Under Age 5 371,956

White Alone 199,102 54%

Black or African American Alone 112,953 30%

American Indian and Alaska Native Alone 1,080 0%

Asian Alone 19,226 5%

Some other Race Alone 17,762 4%

Two or More Races 21,796 5%

SPECIAL POPULATIONS Number %

Hispanic or Latino 49,696 12%

Infants/Toddlers 13,801 4%

Preschool Special Education 12,203 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Assessment

Instructional Practice

Professional Development

Family Communication

Coordination among EC Programs

Framework and Standards

(Prek and K)

Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR)

All kindergarten teachers complete summative first quarter assessment on all kindergarten students (electronic format)

30 WSS indicators across 7 domains Use of MSDE assessment guidelines (Fall

Entry Exemplars) Use of portfolio assessment strategies,

including work samples and observed documentation of learning

MMSR Kindergarten Assessment

Teachers use formative assessment information for monitoring progress of learning

Teachers use summative information for individualized instruction, grouping, parent-teacher conferences, completion of report card

Teachers submit only first quarter reports to MSDE

Teachers continue assessment throughout the year to meet local reporting requirements (i.e., local K report card)

Use of MMSR K Information

MSDE does the following:◦ collects first quarter reports from all K teachers◦ merges enrollment and demographic data with

assessment information◦ creates data flat file on all students◦ analyzes data according to MMSR K Assessment

construct◦ verifies data and conducts reliability analyses◦ issues annual report and disseminates to LEA’s,

policymakers, and early childhood community

MMSR K Assessment

MMSR Composite 2011-12

MMSR Composite 2011-12

MMSR Composite 2011-12

Summary of Findings◦ MMSR performance predicted later MSA Math

performance at 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade (for the whole population as well as for all subgroups)

◦ MMSR performance predicted later MSA Reading performance at 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade

◦ Comparisons across income groups found: Non-FARMS students who were Advanced on the

MMSR later scored Advanced on both the Reading and Math MSA.

FARMS students who were Basic on the MMSR later scored Basic on both the Reading and Math MSA.

K Assessment as a Predictor for School Achievement

MMSR K Language & Literacy and MSA Reading (2001-02 Cohort)

N 4,570 15,840 14,094K Mathematical Thinking Developing Approaching Fully Ready

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

3rd Grade Reading MSA

Basic Proficient Advanced

MMSR K Mathematical Thinking and MSA Math (Cohort 2001-02)

N 4,570 15,840 14,094K Mathematical Thinking Developing Approaching Fully Ready

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

3rd Grade Math MSA

Basic Proficient Advanced

Full-day kindergarten (2007) Prekindergarten for all “economically

disadvantaged four-year olds” Licensed programs (centers and family

child care, nursery schools, and Head Start)

Maryland Infants and Toddlers and Preschool Special Education

Family Support Centers (Birth to 3 years)

Direct Services under MSDE

Early Learning Framework and Program Standards◦ Program standards and early childhood accreditation◦ Early learning standards (Prek–8 State Curriculum and Healthy

Beginnings: Birth-3) and early childhood curriculum project. (Common Core Standards in 2013)

Workforce Development◦ Prekindergarten and NIEER Quality Standards (in regulation)◦ Child care credentialing (career ladder, bonus, training and scholarships)◦ Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR) – Professional Development◦ Improved Training Approval Process

Health and Child Development◦ Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation◦ Homevisiting (Healthy Families and Parents as Teachers)

Continuous Program Improvement◦ Quality Rating and Improvement (Maryland EXCELS)◦ Child Care Resource and Referral (EC Breakthrough Center)◦ Early childhood accreditation (state and national)

Birth – 3rd Grade Models ◦ Judy Center Partnerships

Quality Improvement Initiatives

Enhancing Maryland’s Administrative and

Educational Data SystemsMMSR

Kindergarten Readiness Data(All children entering

Kindergarten)

MSDE Licensing/Credentialing

Dataset

Early Childhood Data Warehouse/MLDS

Resource & Referral

Data

Head Start Data

Subsidy Dataset(all children paid in at least

one month during the 12 months preceding entry

into Kindergarten)

Accredited Providers

Pre-K Enrollment

Data

CCATS

Maryland’s Early Childhood Accountability

• Data management• Research• Program improvement• Interagency planning • Policy analysis

MMSR Kindergarten

Assessment Data(2001-2011)

LEA’s (Master Plan

planning process)

Legislature(Budget analysis)

Ready at Five(Disseminate to local teachers for strategic planning, including Local Management

Board)

Research (Child Care

Cooperative Research Agreement)

EnhancedAdmin Data

Governor’s Management for

Results(Performance analysis by

Dept. of Budget and Management)

MSDE (Planning

process and dissemination)

Longitudinal Data

Study(K-12 Link)

K Teacher

s(Classroom

use and diagnostic

tool)

Early care and

education providers

(Align programs to meet readiness

outcomes)

Judy Centers(RBA planning process,

needs assessment)

Framing the issue of school readiness

Access to quality for all children (school readiness gap)

Research in early childhood assessments

Dedicated funding

Challenges for KEAs

Visit Our Web-Site at:

http://www.marylandpublicschools.org

For More Information

Division of Early Childhood Development

Rolf Grafwallner, Ph.D.Asst. State SuperintendentDivision of Early Childhood

Developmentrgrafwal@msde.state.md.us