Policy Analysis of the Massachusetts School Readiness Assessment System

1. Policy Analysis of the Massachusetts School Readiness Assessment System Ashaunta Tumblin, M.D. Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Minority Health Policy Fellow May 12, 2011

2. 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.

3. Outline • Introduction • Study Rationale • Study Goals • Study Methods • Study Results • Literature Reviews • Key Informant Interviews • Survey and Focus Group • Policy Recommendations

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. Study Methods Policy Analysis: Literature Review and Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Pediatricians Other States District Survey District Focus Group

8. Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews Results: Literature Review of School Readiness Definitions in Other States • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

9. School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2000 Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group 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.

10. School Readiness Definitions in Other States: 2011 Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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. and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group Stedron, J. NCSL Technical Report: State Approaches to School Readiness Assessment. 2010. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2002/bills/SB2283_sd1_.htm http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/EarlyLearning/documents/Report/017119.pdf

11. Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews Results: Literature Review of School Readiness Policy in Massachusetts • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

12. Proposed 2001 School Readiness Definition in Massachusetts Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders Communication ability Physical health Social knowledge Cognitive skills Influences of people and cultures Influences of the environment and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians Quality, expectations, and capacities of early childhood programs and elementary schools Family support from greater community District Survey District Focus Group Wieworka, A., Washington, V. School Readiness in Massachusetts: A Report of the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. 2001.

13. School Readiness Policy in Massachusetts Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group http://www.minnesotaspromise.org/publications/documents/Massedreformsummary.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 School 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.

14. N = 25 Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Results: Key Informant Interviews of Other State Leaders, Massachusetts Leaders, and Pediatricians Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

15. Definitions of School Readiness Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

16. Purposes of School Readiness Assessment Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

17. The Ideal School Readiness Assessment Tool Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

18. Challenges of Statewide School Readiness Assessment Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews • 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 • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

19. Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews Results: Survey and Focus Group of District Leaders in Massachusetts • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

20. District Definitions of School Readiness: Survey Results Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

21. District Purposes of Assessment: Survey Results Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 3 out of 4 respondents report from a district that uses a school readiness assessment or screen and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

22. District Purposes of Assessment: Focus Group Findings Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • Target placement and allocation of resources • Some fear premature decision-making • Others review placement ≥ 6 times per year • Collect data from preschools and parents and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

23. District View of Assessment Tools: Survey & Focus Group Findings Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians 97% 96% 61% 82% 74% 81% 78% 73% 88% District Survey District Focus Group

24. District Leaders on Statewide Assessment Challenges Key Informant Interviews of School Readiness Leaders • 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 and Literature Reviews • Massachusetts • State • District • Community Other States Pediatricians District Survey District Focus Group

25. Policy Recommendations

26. 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 Fund ESEA = Elementary and Secondary Education Act ACA = Affordable Care Act

27. 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 Care DESE = Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DPH = Department of Public Health AAP = American Academy of Pediatrics

28. 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