September2013

ESHB 2586

Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

  1. Purpose: The purpose of ESHB 2586is to require that the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) replace administration of other assessments being required by school districts or that other assessments only be administered if they seek to obtain information not covered by the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills.

To the extent funds are available, beginning in the 2012-13school year, the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills shall be administered at the beginning of the school year to all students enrolled in state-funded full-day kindergarten programs under RCW 28A.150.315 with the exception of students who have been excused from participation by their parents or guardians.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the department of early learning, shall convene a work group toprovide:(i) Input and recommendations with respect to implementation of the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills; (ii) Recommendations regarding the optimum way to administer the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills to children in half-day kindergarten while ensuring that they receive the maximum instruction as required in RCW 28A.150.205; and (iii) Recommendations with respect to achieving the goal of replacing assessments currently required by school districts with the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills.

The work group shall include:(i) One representative from the office of the superintendent of public instruction; (ii) One representative from the department of early learning; (iii) One representative from the nongovernmental private-public partnership defined in RCW 43.215.010;(iv) Five representatives, including both teachers and principals, from school districts that participated in the pilot project, with every effort made to make sure that there is representation from across the state;(v) Two parents who are familiar with and participated in the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills pilot during the 2010-11 school year; and (vi) A representative from an independent, nonprofit children and family services organization with a main campus in North Bend, Washington.

The work group may solicit input from people who are recent implementers of the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills.

A preliminary report and recommendations shall be submitted to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives by December 1, 2012. A subsequent report and recommendations shall be submitted to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives by December 1, 2013, and annually by December 1st thereafter.

The work group shall terminate upon full statewide implementation of all-day kindergarten.

To the extent funds are available, additional support in the form of implementation grants shall be offered to schools on a schedule to be determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the department of early learning.

Until full statewide implementation of all-day kindergarten programs, the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the director of the department of early learning, may grant annual, renewable waivers from the requirement of subsection (1) of this section to administer the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills. A school district seeking a waiver for one or more of its schools must submit an application to the office of the superintendent of public instruction that includes:

(a) A description of the kindergarten readiness assessment and transition processes that it proposes to administer instead of the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills;

(b) An explanation of why the administration of the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills would be unduly burdensome; and

(c) An explanation of how administration of the alternative kindergarten readiness assessment will support social-emotional,physical, and cognitive growth and development of individual children; support early learning provider and parent involvement; and inform instruction.

  1. Description of services provided: OSPI provides leadership and administration of the WaKIDS kindergarten entry transition process, which includes three components (Family Connection, Whole Child Assessment and Early Learning Collaboration). OSPI coordinates a regional network of ESDs to provide training and technical assistance to teachers in schools implementing WaKIDS. OSPI also coordinates the legislative workgroup established by this bill.
  2. Number of staff associated with this program/service (indicate where applicable):

Fiscal Year 2013

# of OSPI staff associated with this funding (FTEs): 1

# of contractors/other staff associated with this funding: 3

Center for EducationalEffectiveness[KT1]

Teaching Strategies LLC

UW Grant & Contract Accounting[KT2]

FY 13 Funding: State Appropriation: $1 million

5.Is continued funding needed in the next biennium? Yes

6. What is the current status of this program’s implementation? In 2012-13, 1,003 teachers implemented WaKIDS, collecting data on 21,811 kindergartners (approximately one-fourth of all kindergartners). In 2013-14, we will reach almost 50% of the state’s kindergartners through WaKIDS.

7.When will the project be completed? WaKIDS is required in districts that accept state-funding for full-day kindergarten. As long as WaKIDS is statutorily connected with SF FDK, implementation of WaKIDS will be ongoing. The legislative workgroup is active until SF FDK is statewide.

8.First year funded: 2013

9.State funding since inception:

Fiscal Year / Amount
FY13 / $1 million

11. Major challenges faced by the program:

12.Statutory and/or Budget language: 3ESHB 2127 Sec 501(2)(c)(vi) - $500,000 of the general fund – state appropriation for fiscal year 2012 and ($400,000) $1,400,000 of the general fund – state appropriation for fiscal year 2013 are provided solely for the implementation of chapter 340, Laws of 2011 (assessment of students in state-funded full-day kindergarten classrooms), including the development and implementation of the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills (WaKIDS). Of the amounts in this subsection, $1,000,000 of the fiscal year 2013 appropriation is for the implementation of House bill No. 2586 (kindergarten inventory).

13.Other relevant information:

FY13 grant beneficiaries:

ESD 101

ESD 105

ESD 112

ESD 113

ESD 123

No Central ESD 171

Northwest ESD 189

Olympic ESD 114

Puget Sound ESD 121

[KT1]Was this the contract for Ric Williams?

[KT2]Same issue—was the UW contract paid for with state funds?