BILL REQ. #:  H-1015.4 

Read first time 02/03/09.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Children's Services.

     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 empowers parents to assist in their children's learning processes and supports educators in developing meaningful 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 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. The legislature further finds that the early learning advisory council includes a broad continuum of stakeholder representation. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to direct the council to convene a work group to develop and implement a uniform statewide kindergarten assessment process.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.215 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The early learning advisory council, in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall convene a work group to develop and implement a statewide kindergarten assessment. The work group shall include representatives from school districts, early learning providers, tribal councils, and organizations or groups reflecting cultural and linguistic diversity. The purposes of the assessment include:
     (a) Providing parents and teachers with information about a child's knowledge, skills, and abilities upon entering kindergarten in order to inform instruction for the child;
     (b) Facilitating communication with parents about what children are learning and to empower parents to assist their children; and
     (c) Providing feedback to early learning programs to enable continuous improvement, support transitions, and improve alignment between early learning programs and kindergarten classrooms. The assessment shall not be used to screen or otherwise preclude children from entering kindergarten if they are otherwise eligible for enrollment.
     (2) The kindergarten assessment shall be uniform across the state and the assessment process must be:
     (a) Developmentally appropriate and culturally and linguistically relevant;
     (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:
     (a) Identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be assessed;
     (b) Determine the extent of desirable alignment with early learning standards and benchmarks;
     (c) Define the assessment methodology and approaches to be implemented for all children, including children from diverse cultures and languages and children with disabilities and special needs;
     (d) Specify data collection needs, tools, and procedures;
     (e) Determine whether and how parents may opt out of the process and forgo the assessment on behalf of a child;
     (f) Identify a training plan and implementation strategy for use by school districts and schools;
     (g) Select pilot schools and districts; and
     (h) Examine results of the pilot test and make adjustments as necessary or appropriate to any element of the process before statewide implementation.
     (4) The kindergarten assessment shall be pilot tested in selected schools and districts during the 2010-11 school year.
     (5) The work group shall provide a status report to the governor and the legislature not later than January 15, 2010.
     (6) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, all school districts shall implement the statewide kindergarten assessment.

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, in collaboration with the early learning advisory council, shall convene a work group to develop and implement a kindergarten assessment 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, all school districts shall implement the statewide kindergarten assessment developed under section 2 of this act.
     (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement this section.