NWEA technical appendix for the Behind at the Starting Line research brief¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 2 studies (2 associational), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

A technical appendix published by NWEA Research to accompany the brief "Behind at the Starting Line," which the page describes as examining Kindergarten test scores from more than 400,000 U.S. students. The appendix is positioned as supporting educators' early identification of students at risk, "enabling them to intervene and influence learning trajectories before the next critical milestone: third grade." The page provides only this description, not the appendix's contents.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Intended to be read alongside the full research brief, which the page links to via a "Read the brief" link

Constraints¶

• The page prints only a summary description; the appendix's own data and methods are not shown in the supplied text

Target Learners¶

• U.S. Kindergarten students

Target Learning Goals¶

• Early identification of students at risk of not reaching third-grade proficiency in reading and mathematics

Claims¶

• Kindergarten test scores from more than 400,000 U.S. students contain patterns that can predict academic success or identify students at risk of falling further behind by third grade [+W]
• Kindergarten test scores show patterns that can predict academic success or identify students at risk of falling further behind by third grade [+W]

Related Elements¶

• NWEA research brief on Kindergarten scores and third-grade proficiency

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Megan Kuhfeld, Karyn Lewis, Emily Morton. (2026). Technical Appendix for Behind at the starting line: What Kindergarten test scores tell us about reaching proficiency in 3rd grade. NWEA Research technical brief. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/technical-appendix-for-behind-at-the-starting-line-what-kindergarten-test-scores-tell-us-about-reaching-proficiency-in-3rd-grade/