Use KEAs to strengthen early learning systems: family engagement, p–3 alignment, and aggregated data for equitable investment¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report recommends that states and districts use KEAs to promote family engagement, align preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade, and inform strategic initiatives. Washington 'allows districts to use 3 school days for kindergarten teachers to meet with each child's family' and requires districts to connect with preschool providers around its KEA to promote alignment. Illinois administrators use KEA data to make the case for increased investments in publicly subsidized preschool, Elgin U-46 drives a community book-distribution initiative, and Tulare uses one assessment tool across multiple years to build an aligned system.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Adequate support including time and resources for educators to assess and reflect on results

Constraints¶

• The report found few concrete state-level uses of aggregated KEA data to inform investments or evaluate initiatives, calling it a potential missed opportunity

Target Learners¶

• children from preschool through early elementary grades

Target Learning Goals¶

• aligned p–3 assessment systems and family engagement in children's development

Related Strategies¶

• Policy recommendations: choose developmentally appropriate assessments, build instructional assessment systems, guard against misuse, and support continuous improvement
• Five KEA selection and implementation considerations for policymakers and practitioners
• Develop data-sharing memoranda of understanding and shared evaluation across child- and family-serving agencies
• Build early-warning indicators and leverage online-learning-system process data to support students before gaps widen in Grade 3
• Invest early: identify learning problems and intervene before third or sixth grade rather than waiting for promotional gates

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Yun, C., Melnick, H., & Wechsler, M. (2021). High-quality early childhood assessment: Learning from states' use of kindergarten entry assessments. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/high-quality-kea