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KEA Case Studies

Kindergarten Teacher Interview Protocol

Introduction and Purpose of Interview

Thank you for your willingness to participate in this interview. We are talking with you and other 

administrators and teachers in your state and district about the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (or KEA), 

how it is implemented, and how you are using the results. We’d like to learn about what is working well 

in addition to the challenges and how you’re working to overcome them. We believe information about 

your experiences will be valuable for the many other states and districts interested in implementing 

KEAs. It also has the potential to inform federal policy and to help the U.S. Department of Education 

develop technical assistance that is useful for all states tackling this important effort. This interview will 

take approximately 45 minutes.

After interviewing people who have been involved in decisionmaking and administration of the KEA at 

the state level, we now want to learn more from you about on-the-ground implementation and use of 

data. 

Consent Process

Have each respondent read and sign the consent form. Ask permission to audio-record the conversation.

______________________________________________________________________________

We understand that your state has [selected or modified XX measure or developed its own measure 

XX] as your KEA. First, we want to learn a few details about the [measure] itself and the nuts and bolts 

of administering it.

1. How many students do you have? Did all your students participate in the KEA? If not, why did 

some students not participate? (Q6)

2. Please describe the process for administering the KEA in your classroom. (Q6)

3. When is the [measure] administered (i.e., during what time frame of the school year)? How 

frequently is it administered? (Q6a)

a. Is the measure used only to assess status at kindergarten entry or is it administered 

repeatedly throughout the school year to assess change?

4. What types of evidence are collected as part of the assessment? For example, are knowledge, 

skills, and abilities assessed through observation, direct assessments, and/or parent reports?

(Q2b)

a. Who administers or provides information about the student for the [measure]? (Q6b)

b. How, if at all, are families involved in providing information? (Q6d)

c. To what degree is technology used to support the administration or scoring of the 

[measure]? (Q6e)

d. How much time does the KEA require of you? How do you find the time to administer it? 

(Q6c)
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5. What general information is provided to parents and teachers about the [KEA] administration?

(Q5)

✪Could you provide me with a sample?

6. Please describe the training or support you received on the administration of the KEA. (Q5, 6b)

a. Do individuals need to be certified before administering the assessment? (Q5b)

b. How well prepared did you feel to administer the KEA? (Q5b)

c. What other supports would have been helpful? (Q5b)

7. How, if at all, does your principal, the district, or others monitor and evaluate the 

implementation of KEAs? (Q8)

8. Can you describe how you enter or share the KEA data you collect, if applicable, with your 

school administration, district, or state? (Q7)

a. In what form are data submitted?

b. Where are the data entered (e.g., statewide longitudinal data system or student 

permanent record)?

c. When?

Finding one assessment that can accurately identify young children’s development status across 

multiple learning domains is challenging. Ensuring that the measure is also linguistically appropriate 

for children whose primary language is not English adds another layer of complication, as does the 

need to accurately assess the strengths and needs of young children with developmental delays or 

disabilities. 

Within this context, we’d like to ask about your thoughts concerning the use of the KEA with these 

particular populations. 

9. To what degree do you believe the [KEA measure] accurately assesses the knowledge, skills, and 

abilities of English learners? (Q6f)

a. In what ways were you prepared/trained to use the [measure] with English learners?

b. To what degree do you believe the [KEA measure] distinguishes between language 

differences and language delays?

c. What, if any, language support is there to conduct the assessment (e.g., translation, 

nonverbal stimuli, observations done by bilingual staff or adults)?

d. In what ways are expectations or interpretations of the findings adapted for English 

learners (who are learning their home language while also acquiring a second 

language)?

e. What additional supports would have been helpful in using the KEA with English 

learners?

10. To what degree do you believe the [KEA measure] accurately assesses the knowledge, skills, and 

abilities of children with developmental delays or disabilities? (Q6f)
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a. In what ways were you prepared/trained to use the [KEA measure] with children with 

developmental delays or disabilities?

b. What accommodations are made and for whom? (For example, children may be given 

additional time to perform skills, or children with physical limitations might be able to 

demonstrate a skill verbally.) 

c. Are there particular disability categories for which the [KEA measure] is not 

appropriate? 

i. Are alternate assessments used with these children?

d. In what ways are the results used for screening and referral or IEP purposes?

e. What additional supports would have been helpful in using the KEA with children with 

developmental delays or other disabilities?

11. What have been the most important factors in supporting the implementation of the KEA? 

12. What have been the biggest challenges?

a. What solutions have you identified for addressing those challenges? 

Now let’s move to how KEA results are used to inform policy and practice.

13. As a teacher, what information do you receive about students’ KEA results? (Q9,9a)

a. How useful and reliable do you find the data? Why?

14. What training or support do kindergarten teachers receive to help them use KEA results to 

inform teaching and learning? (Q10)

a. Which information or supports were most useful?

b. What other information or supports would have been useful?

15. How do you as a kindergarten teacher use KEA results? (Q11b)

After getting a description, probe: Do you use results to:

 Identify children who may need additional supports or further assessment

 Identify specific skills to teach to individual student or groups of students

 Incorporate a new instructional strategy to support a commonly needed skill (e.g., 

something to support motor or social emotional development)

 Engage families in knowing children’s strengths and needs and ways to support learning 

at home

 Benchmark learning in order to track progress throughout the year 

 Other (specify): ____________________________________________

16. What information is provided to the parents? (Q9,9a)

a. How is information shared? Do you use the KEA results in parent-teacher conferences?

✪Could you provide me with a sample report? 

17. Describe any policies regarding how KEA results are not to be used, if there are any (e.g., 

determine promotion or prevent kindergarten entry in any way). (Q12)

a. How were these policies communicated to you? 
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18. What have been the most important factors in supporting the use of KEA results to improve 

students’ educational experience? (Q15)

19. What have been the biggest challenges? (Q15)

b. What solutions have you identified for addressing those challenges? 

This is our final question! In closing we’d like you to reflect on how your district and school 

administered and used KEA data and try to offer learned. (Q13, 14, 15)

20. Are there lessons learned or recommendations you can share with other districts and schools 

about KEA selection, implementation, and use of KEA results to inform policy and practice?

Thank you for your time and thoughtful responses.