policy analysis of the massachusetts school readiness assessment system ashaunta tumblin, m.d....

Policy Analysis of the Massachusetts School

Readiness Assessment System

Ashaunta Tumblin, M.D.Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University

Minority Health Policy FellowMay 12, 2011

Preface

• This analysis represents independent research conducted in collaboration with Strategies for Children, Inc. and the Massachusetts Departments of Early Education and Care and Elementary and Secondary Education.

• It is designed to inform and complement state efforts, but it does not represent the ongoing work of the Commonwealth to establish the Massachusetts kindergarten readiness assessment system.

Outline• Introduction

• Study Rationale

• Study Goals

• Study Methods

• Study Results • Literature Reviews

• Key Informant Interviews

• Survey and Focus Group

• Policy Recommendations

Introduction

• School readiness refers to the readiness of the child to succeed in school across several developmental domains as well as the readiness of the school, family, and community to support learning

• Differences in school readiness contribute to health disparities

• Lack of precise definitions and standardized data collection limits our ability to address health disparities in children

Fiscella D, Kitzman H. Disparities in academic achievement and health: the intersection of child education and health policy. Pediatrics. 2009;123:1073-1080. Institute of Medicine. Child and Adolescent Health and Health Care Quality: Measuring What Matters. April 2011.

Study Rationale• No statewide measure of child outcomes prior

to the 3rd grade MCAS

• Per the enabling statute of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), there must be• A kindergarten readiness assessment system

• Measures the extent to which every preschool-aged child has a fair and full opportunity to learn upon kindergarten entry

• In developing the assessments, there must be• Survey of all providers in the commonwealth

• Review of assessment systems in other states

Massachusetts General Law Part I Title II Chapter 15D Section 12

Study Goals

• Develop an understanding and summary of school readiness definitions in other states

• Develop an understanding and summary of state-level school readiness policy in Massachusetts

• Document district-level school readiness assessment systems in Massachusetts

• Research the potential role of the pediatric community in supporting school readiness

Study Methods

Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders

District Survey District Focus Group

Massachusetts• State• District• Community

Other States Pediatricians

Policy Analysis: Literature Review and

Results: Literature Review

of School Readiness

Definitions in Other States




Other States

Pediatricians

and Literature Reviews

School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2000

• No state had a statewide definition of school readiness

• A child who is five years old by a certain date is often considered ready for school

Saluja, G., Scott-Little, C., & Clifford, R. Readiness for school: A survey of state policies and definitions. ECRP, 20:2. 2000.Education Commission of the States. 2000.




Other States

Pediatricians


School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2011• Hawaii

• Positive interaction among the child's developmental characteristics, school practices, and family and community support

• Minnesota• Skills, knowledge, behaviors, and accomplishments that

children know and can do as they enter kindergarten in the following areas of child development

• social and emotional development• approaches to learning• language and literacy development• creativity and the arts• cognition and general knowledge• physical well being and motor development.

Stedron, J. NCSL Technical Report: State Approaches to School Readiness Assessment. 2010.http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2002/bills/SB2283_sd1_.htmhttp://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/EarlyLearning/documents/Report/017119.pdf




Other States

Pediatricians


http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/EarlyLearning/documents/Report/017119.pdf

Results: Literature Review

of School Readiness Policy in

Massachusetts




Other States

Pediatricians


Proposed 2001 School Readiness Definition in Massachusetts

Wieworka, A., Washington, V. School Readiness in Massachusetts: A Report of the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. 2001.




Other States

Pediatricians


School Readiness Policy in Massachusetts

http://www.minnesotaspromise.org/publications/documents/Massedreformsummary.pdfhttp://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1993/1993acts0071.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC/research_planning/state_planning/eec_strategic_plan.pdfSchool Readiness in MA: A Report of the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. 2001.State Profiles: School Readiness Indicators and Lessons Learned. May 2004.A Case Study of the MA Dept. of Early Education and Care. April 2008.

• 1978: Public sues MA for unequal education spending

• 1993: Education Reform Act equalizes district spending

• 2001: Governor’s Commission on school readiness in MA

• 2004: National School Readiness Indicators Meeting

• 2005: Dept. of Early Education & Care (EEC) established

• 2007: Universal Pre-kindergarten pilot program launched

• 2008: Universal Pre-kindergarten program requires use of one of four assessment tools

• 2011: Quality Rating and Improvement System launched

EEC and NYU plan assessment pilot in Springfield




Other States

Pediatricians


http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1993/1993acts0071.pdf

http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1993/1993acts0071.pdf

http://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC/research_planning/state_planning/eec_strategic_plan.pdf

Results: Key Informant

Interviews of Other State Leaders, Massachusetts Leaders, and Pediatricians




Other States

Pediatricians


N = 25

Definitions of School Readiness

• Specific skill sets, developmental capacities, or state-determined indicators

• Schools are ready for all children, independent of an individual child’s readiness for school

• School readiness begins prenatally, if not preconception

• The term “school readiness” is misleading because it prompts a yes/no answer to the continuum of child development




Other States

Pediatricians


Purposes of School Readiness Assessment

• Identify children at risk for learning disabilities or developmental delay

• Align early childhood programming with kindergarten expectations

• Guide individualized curriculum development and instruction

• Inform state and district policy and practices

• Follow progress reducing the achievement gap




Other States

Pediatricians


The Ideal School Readiness Assessment Tool

• Low-cost, quick, and easy to administer

• Align with early learning and common core standards

• Assess multiple domains with ongoing observation

• Return results on a continuous scale with a wide range

• Available in different languages




Other States

Pediatricians


Challenges of Statewide School Readiness Assessment

• Overcoming fears of misuse of data

• Including community-based programs

• Training, time, and budgetary requirements

• Selecting the appropriate tool

• Returning data to providers in timely fashion

• Effective use of the data to improve outcomes




Other States

Pediatricians


Results: Survey and Focus Group of District

Leaders in Massachusetts




Other States

Pediatricians


District Definitions of School Readiness: Survey Results

• District definitions of school readiness• A particular level of child development

• Achievement of a specific skill set

• Reaching district-defined age for kindergarten

• Ready families, schools, and communities




Other States

Pediatricians


District Purposes of Assessment: Survey Results

• 3 out of 4 respondents report from a district that uses a school readiness assessment or screen




Other States

Pediatricians


District Purposes of Assessment: Focus Group Findings• Target placement and allocation of resources

• Some fear premature decision-making

• Others review placement ≥ 6 times per year

• Collect data from preschools and parents




Other States

Pediatricians


District View of Assessment Tools: Survey & Focus Group Findings

Question 1st 2nd 3rd

Importance of measured domainsSocial

EmotionLiteracy Math

Statewide tool should measureSocial

EmotionLiteracy

MathMotor

Domains assessed by current tools Motor Literacy Math

97% 74% 61%96% 81%82%88% 78%73%




Other States

Pediatricians


District Leaders on Statewide Assessment Challenges

• Survey Results (Top 4 of 11 responses)

• Time required to conduct the assessment

• Uniform administration for consistency

• Training in interpretation of results

• Timely access to results for educators

• Focus Group Findings• Different kindergarten entry dates across districts

• Educate parents that assessment will not be used to exclude children from kindergarten




Other States

Pediatricians


PolicyRecommendations

Policy Recommendations• Federal government

• Annually publish data on all 50 states’ readiness definitions and assessment practices

• Provide incentives & supports for assessment & information technology in ELCF, ESEA, & ACA

• Provide Medicaid reimbursement for screens at 9-, 18-, and 24- months of age as well as the 4-year-old school readiness well child check

• Massachusetts legislature and governor

• Invest state funding in early education and care

• Specify and phase-in a statewide date to assess kindergarten entry age

• Ensure state-funded health care reimbursements for assessments and screens

ELCF = Early Learning Challenge FundESEA = Elementary and Secondary Education ActACA = Affordable Care Act

Policy Recommendations

• EEC and DESE• Consensus definition of school readiness by 2012

noting importance of social & emotional skills

• Slow and steady scale-up of statewide school readiness assessment system

• Other inter-agency collaborations

• Enhanced EEC and DPH collaboration around Early Intervention services and pilot of DPH-run Early Development Inventory

• DPH proposes regulatory changes to pilot assessment by pediatricians in alignment with EEC, DESE, and AAP standards

EEC = Department of Early Education and CareDESE = Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationDPH = Department of Public HealthAAP = American Academy of Pediatrics

Acknowledgements• MA Department of Early Education and Care

• MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Strategies for Children, Inc.

• Harvard Department of Diversity and Community Partnership

• The Commonwealth Fund

• Harvard School of Public Health

• Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Minority Health Policy co-fellows

• Research participants

policy analysis of the massachusetts school readiness assessment system ashaunta tumblin, m.d....

Documents

school readiness slide

introduction school

level school readiness

school saluja

massachusetts research

survey of state policies

adolescent health

summary of state