Children Entering School Ready to Learn: 2008-2009 Maryland Model for School Readiness
Author: Maryland State Department of Education
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: African American Children,Special Schools,School Readiness,Learning Readiness,Second Language Learning,Kindergarten,English (Second Language),Educational Trends,Student Improvement,Language Skills,Literacy,Mathematics Skills,Early Childhood Education,Student Evaluation,Young Children,Limited English Speaking,Disabilities,Comparative Analysis

Each year, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) informs policymakers and practitioners of what children know and are able to do when they start formal education in kindergarten. This report, which is unique in its kind nationally, provides a profile of children's skill levels as they enter school based on the evaluation of their teachers.  It includes valuable trend data about the school readiness levels of specific groups of children for the state and each of the 24 jurisdictions in Maryland. The major results of the report are: (1) More children are starting kindergarten better prepared for school than last year. Seventy-three percent (73%) of the entering kindergarten students were evaluated by their teachers as &quot;fully&quot; ready for kindergarten, a five percent (5%) increase over the previous year and a twenty-four percent (24%) increase since 2001-02. This statistically significant increase occurred for both the composite score for Language and Literacy and Mathematical Thinking from 2001-02. The increase in Language and Literacy since 2001-02 is twenty-six percent (26%) and the increase in Mathematical Thinking is twenty-seven percent (27%); and (2) English Language Learners are making significant progress compared to last year. The number of English Language Learners who were evaluated by their teachers as fully ready increased by five percent (5%) compared to last year's data and twenty-five percent (25%) since 2001-02. African Americans are making significant progress as well compared to last year. The number of African Americans who were evaluated by their teachers as fully ready increased by seven percent (7%) compared to last year's data and thirty-two percent (32%) since 2001-02. These increases are a reflection of the work in the early childhood community to improve the early learning opportunities for the English Language Learners and African American children. Appendices include: (1) Maryland Model for School Readiness Kindergarten Assessment Work Sampling System[R] (WSS) Indicators of Learning; (2) Tables representing the following: (a) School Readiness Information--Introduction to Scoring; (b) Presentation of School Readiness Information; (c) Definitions; and (d) School Readiness Information for Maryland, 24 Local School Systems, and Maryland School for the Deaf; (3) Frequently Asked Questions; (4) Percentage of Kindergarten Students Assessed as &quot;Fully Ready&quot; by Domain and Subgroup, including (a) School Year 2001-02, 2007-08, and 2008-09; and (b) State of Maryland Trend Data 2001-2008; (5) Maryland Model for School Readiness--Composite Results by Jurisdiction, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. (Contains 8 footnotes.)