On Campus Kindergarten Readiness Testing for Distance Learners?

Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear that, especially during this pandemic, he wants parents to have a choice in whether they send their children back to the classroom or attend school through distance learning. He repeatedly has recognized that, although he would send his three young children to school if they were old enough (they are not), some parents may be fearful of their children returning during this pandemic, saying ”Different parents have different calculations. If a parent wants to opt for virtual education, they should absolutely be able to do that. We shouldn’t be forcing them to do any type of decisions.”

The Governor’s announcement was good news for families with children at-risk or those who live with other at-risk individuals. Many families have opted to lower their family’s exposure to Covid by participating in distance/virtual learning this fall.

In some districts, however, parents are now being asked to bring their distance learning, potentially at-risk kindergarteners into the school to take the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS), the state’s mandated assessment for its youngest learners. Parents should be allowed to say “No.”

Florida’s Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS) is required by law. Per the Florida Department of Education:

“Section 1002.69, Florida Statutes (F.S.), requires the Florida Department of Education to adopt a statewide kindergarten screening instrument that assesses the readiness of each student for kindergarten based on the performance standards adopted by the department under section 1002.67(1), F.S., for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK). The screening instrument, known as the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS), must be administered to all public school kindergarten students within the first 30 days of each school year.”

Since the 2017−18 school year, the FLKRS assessment is Renaissance’s Star Early Literacy, which is an online, adaptive instrument that students complete independently in approximately 15–20 minutes. Students can take the multiple-choice, computer based assessment on a tablet or on a computer using a mouse or keys on a keyboard to identify their answers.

Since the test is administered up to a month after students have begun their kindergarten year, it doesn’t really determine whether a child is “ready” for kindergarten, though it may identify a child’s academic weaknesses. One main purpose of the kindergarten screener is to rate the quality of Florida’s state funded Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) programs and to hold those schools accountable for not better “preparing” children for kindergarten.

Of course, the Covid pandemic disrupted the final quarter of VPK, just like it disrupted the K-12 schools, so student scores will be of little use in identifying the “bad preschools.”

Is the value of the FLKRS data during this pandemic high enough to warrant bringing distance learners into the school setting during this pandemic? We think no.

Some districts are making the FLKRS testing of distance learners voluntary and some are attempting testing at home (although, apparently, the state may not actually allow for that). Other districts (I’m looking at you Hillsborough) are requiring that distance learners come on to campus for testing. Parents have the right to be concerned. Bringing distance learners onto campus increases the risk of exposure for everyone, but especially for those families who are deliberately trying to limit their own family’s risk by choosing distance learning.

There is precedence for suspending the kindergarten readiness assessment entirely. In 2014, when technology glitches complicated the rollout of a new online kindergarten readiness assessment, the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading or FAIR test, then Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart eliminated the assessment. Instead of using data from the FAIR test that year, teachers were asked to “observe children’s reading abilities in a more informal setting.” Similar informal teacher observations could be used this year (or, frankly, every year).

The FLDOE has already demonstrated willingness to interpret f.s. 1002.69 somewhat loosely. Reportedly, the FLDOE has extended the FLKRS assessment window all the way to December 18th, which is well outside the mandate that children be assessed “within the first 30 days of each school year.”

In keeping with Governor DeSantis’ insistence that families, concerned about the safety of returning to the classroom during the pandemic, should “absolutely” be given the option to choose distance learning, districts should not be forcing families return to campus for in-person kindergarten readiness testing.

#SaveTheLittles