BILL REQ. #:  H-2389.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/02/09.   

     AN ACT Relating to developing and implementing a kindergarten assessment; adding a new section to chapter 43.215 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that gathering quality information about a child's knowledge, skills, and abilities when the child enters kindergarten engages and empowers parents to assist in their children's learning processes and supports educators in developing meaningful and culturally responsive instruction for the child. The legislature further finds that a uniform kindergarten assessment process can provide valuable feedback to early learning programs engaged in quality and culturally responsive improvement efforts and will support cross-systems communication and promote seamless transitions to kindergarten for children and families. The legislature also finds that stakeholder involvement is an important element of successful program development and implementation. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to direct the department of early learning and the office of the superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the early learning advisory council to convene a work group to develop and field test a uniform statewide kindergarten assessment process. The legislature finds that meeting the needs of families, communities, and schools to work effectively for children's connection and learning will ensure that schools prepare children for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.215 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department and the office of the superintendent of public instruction jointly and in collaboration with the early learning advisory council, shall convene a work group to develop a statewide kindergarten assessment process to be field tested and made available to school districts. The work group shall include representatives from school districts, early learning providers, parent organizations, federally recognized tribes, and organizations or groups reflecting cultural and linguistic diversity. The purposes of the assessment process include:
     (a) Providing parents and teachers with information about a child's knowledge, skills, abilities, and supports that may be needed upon entering kindergarten in order to inform instruction for the child;
     (b) Facilitating culturally responsive communication with parents about what children are learning, and engaging and empowering parents to support their children's educational success; and
     (c) Providing feedback to early learning programs to improve transitions to kindergarten and the alignment between early learning programs and kindergarten classrooms. The assessment shall not be used to screen or preclude children from entering kindergarten if they are otherwise eligible for enrollment.
     (2) The kindergarten assessment process shall be uniform across the state. In developing the kindergarten assessment process, the work group shall strive to balance the need for an assessment process that is:
     (a) Developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant, and socioeconomically aware;
     (b) Sufficiently flexible and adaptable to accommodate children with disabilities and special needs;
     (c) Cost-effective in a way that maximizes the benefit to students, teachers, and parents and minimizes the use of resources that would otherwise be available for instruction; and
     (d) Designed to provide data and reporting using a single, easy-to-use, web-based platform.
     (3) The work group shall provide a report to the department and the office of the superintendent of public instruction that:
     (a) Identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be assessed;
     (b) Determines the extent of desirable alignment with early learning standards and benchmarks, including social and emotional learning;
     (c) Defines the assessment methodology and approaches to be implemented for all children, including children from diverse cultures and languages, children from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and children with disabilities and special needs;
     (d) Specifies data collection needs, tools, and procedures;
     (e) Determines whether and how parents may opt out of the process and forgo the assessment on behalf of a child;
     (f) Identifies a training plan and implementation strategy for use by school districts and schools with the involvement of parents;
     (g) Recommends schools and districts representing culturally diverse populations for the field test;
     (h) Identifies effective strategies for facilitating communication with and engagement of parents in their child's kindergarten assessment process; and
     (i) Identifies methods for providing feedback to early learning programs to enable continuous quality improvement and to enhance the alignment between early learning and kindergarten classrooms.
     (4) The kindergarten assessment process shall be field-tested in selected schools and districts representing culturally diverse populations during the 2010-11 school year. During the field testing phase more than one assessment process may be utilized, but for purposes of statewide implementation, a single assessment process shall be selected.
     (5) The work group shall examine and assess the results of the field test and make recommendations to the department and the office of the superintendent of public instruction for statewide implementation of the kindergarten assessment process.
     (6) The department and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide a report, including cost estimates and whether the kindergarten assessment process is ready for statewide voluntary implementation, to the governor and the legislature not later than January 15, 2010.
     (7) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:
     (a) Identify the statewide kindergarten assessment process;
     (b) Make necessary materials and training available;
     (c) Provide technical assistance, if requested; and
     (d) Encourage all school districts to implement a uniform kindergarten assessment process.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of early learning jointly and in consultation with the early learning advisory council shall convene a work group to develop a statewide kindergarten assessment process to be field tested and made available to school districts pursuant to section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall encourage all school districts to implement a uniform kindergarten assessment process developed under section 2 of this act.
     (2) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to implement this section.