This project was part of a larger REL Southwest coaching series to support the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) in using an early learning inventory (ELI) to assess children's knowledge and skills at kindergarten entry and improve state-funded early learning programs. This project had two primary goals: (1) to build OSDE capacity to identify and apply evidence about the validity and feasibility of early learning assessments to support planning for an ELI pilot study; and (2) to build OSDE capacity to communicate and disseminate information to teachers, principals, early childhood education advocates, and policymakers about the scientific rationale for piloting an ELI. The five sessions assisted OSDE staff with (1) gathering evidence from other states, (2) measurement criteria, (3) content alignment, (4) planning for implementation of an ELI, and (5) developing a communication plan. The coaching equipped OSDE staff with information to make an evidence-based decision about selecting an ELI for a pilot study.
As part of the coaching project, REL Southwest produced two resources:
Selection of Measures Used by States as Early Learning Inventories: This spreadsheet provides a selection of measures used by states as early learning inventories. This spreadsheet presents publicly available information about measures used by states to serve as an Early Learning Inventory (or Kindergarten Entry Assessment). The list is not exhaustive. REL Southwest identified the included measures primarily from a REL Northwest state scan of Kindergarten Readiness Assessments completed in June 2016. From this scan, REL Southwest included all commercially-available measures as well as a selection of state-developed measures. Additional measures were identified and included on the basis of conversations with OSDE.
Results From Content Alignment of Early Learning Inventory Measures This memo describes the extent to which two assessments (the New Mexico Kindergarten Observation Tool and the Early Learning Quick Assessment-Kindergarten) align to knowledge and skills in the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Prekindergarten as well as to three social-emotional competencies associated with student learning.
Related coaching projects:
