02 FINAL May 3 KSRA Presentation 5

Slide1: 

Assessment of Kindergarten Readiness in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties A Summary of Findings May 3, 2006

Key Messages for Today: 

Key Messages for Today School readiness is multi- dimensional Readiness represents a range of skills that are associated with healthy development Most children enter school ready, but there are pressing needs Policies and practices can promote school readiness

What Is School Readiness?: 

What Is School Readiness? Ready Child Fostering the growth and development of children’s skills Data can help focus community investments so that all children are school-ready, especially those who are most vulnerable

Readiness Assessment Milestones: 

Readiness Assessment Milestones San Mateo County (SMC) pioneered an assessment methodology. First assessment was launched in a subset of districts. Follow-up assessments in SMC were conducted. Santa Clara County leveraged SMC’s approach, expanding the method and tools. First collaboration to describe the state of readiness in the two-county region, representative of all kindergarten students 2001 2004 2005 02-03

Methodology : 

Methodology To the 26,000+ children included at the county and regional levels Margin of error = (+ / - ) 2.5% – 3.5% Generalizable 76 classrooms with 1,434 children observed 1,189 parents responded 66 kindergarten teachers 112 ECE teachers Scope Kindergarten Observation Form Parent Information Form Two Surveys on Importance of Readiness Skills Tools Random sample of schools in each county Teachers served as expert observers Each child assessed on 20 readiness skills Occurred 4 weeks after start of school Assessment conducted in primary languages Approach

Slide6: 

How Ready Are Children for School?

The Basic Building Blocks of Readiness: 

The Basic Building Blocks of Readiness Kindergarten Academics Social Expression Self-Regulation Self-Care & Motor Skills Pays attention Controls impulses Participates in circle time Plays cooperatively Follows directions Writes own name Engages with books Can count 10 objects Recognizes all letters Recognizes primary colors Recognizes primary shapes Can recognize rhyming words Has expressive abilities Engages in symbolic play Relates appropriately to adults Appropriately expresses needs Expresses curiosity for learning Has general coordination on playground Uses small manipulatives Performs basic self-help / self-care tasks

Overall, Children Are “In Progress”: 

Overall, Children Are “In Progress” Not Yet Beginning In Progress Proficient

Four Readiness Portraits: 

Four Readiness Portraits Such a broad-brush look at readiness does NOT reflect the diversity of our children, however A cluster analysis yielded 4 distinct readiness profiles: All-Stars Needs-Prep Social-Stars Focused-on-the-Facts Each portrait reflects a different pattern of: Developmental strengths and challenges Basic student and family characteristics Prevalence

Proficiency Patterns: 

Proficiency Patterns

How Prevalent is Each Portrait?: 

How Prevalent is Each Portrait? = significant difference in %s between counties

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait: 

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait Percentage of Children with Preschool Experience

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait: 

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait Percentage of Children who Are English Language Learners

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait: 

A Snapshot of Each Readiness Portrait Percentage of Children who Have a Mother with Post-High School Education

A Snapshot of each Readiness Portrait: 

A Snapshot of each Readiness Portrait Percentage of Children by Family Income

What Are the Factors Associated with Readiness?: 

What Are the Factors Associated with Readiness? Nature + Nurture + Culture

Slide17: 

Factors Associated with Readiness

Relations Across the Building Blocks: 

Relations Across the Building Blocks Associated with Individual Basic Building Blocks Self-Care & Motor Skills Self-Regulation Social Expression Older upon K entry Has no special needs Uses problem-solving Does not act out when faced with conflict Higher maternal education Kindergarten Academics Associated with Overall Readiness AND Each Basic Building Block Basic Building Blocks

A Closer Look at Preschool: 

A Closer Look at Preschool Children who attended preschool outscore their peers More preschool is not necessarily better Preschool appears to operate differently in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties Preschool can “protect” against several different risk factors, although this effect appears to be more prevalent in San Mateo County = significant difference between counties

What Do Teachers Say About Children’s Readiness?: 

What Do Teachers Say About Children’s Readiness?

Children’s Readiness in Context: 

Children’s Readiness in Context Not Yet Beginning In Progress Proficient

Many Children Meet Teacher Expectations: 

Many Children Meet Teacher Expectations

There are many children falling far short of teachers’ desired levels of proficiency: 

There are many children falling far short of teachers’ desired levels of proficiency

Teachers Face Very Different Challenges: 

Teachers Face Very Different Challenges Issues related to diversity of skill levels ranked as teachers’ top classroom challenges. Not Yet Beginning In Progress Proficient

Teachers’ View of the Basic Building Blocks: 

Teachers’ View of the Basic Building Blocks

The Importance of Self-Regulation: 

The Importance of Self-Regulation Self-regulation is critical Many children enter school without proficiencies in Self-Regulation Preschool is not strongly associated with improved Self-Regulation The number of activities parents do with their children is associated with Self-Regulation skills

Teachers Feel Torn Between Fostering Social-Emotional Development and Academics: 

Teachers Feel Torn Between Fostering Social-Emotional Development and Academics Social skills are viewed as critical to subsequent learning But, the emphasis on academic standards can impede kindergarten teachers’ ability to guide social development ECE teachers feel the pressure, too

In Summary: 

In Summary Children are coming to school with a wide range of skills Communities can help parents work with their children to prepare them for school High quality preschool programs are a healthy piece of the solution Programs and schools need to work in the context of developmentally and culturally appropriate expectations for our kindergarteners

Slide29: 

Ready or Not – Here We Come! For a copy of the full report, please visit www.appliedsurveyresearch.org