Message from the CEO

VPK Readiness Rate Changes

What is changing?

For children - beginning with the current kindergarten class (children who were in VPK during the 2010-11 school year and 2011 summer program), a child will be determined "kindergarten ready" ONLY if the child is "ready" on both ECHOS and FAIR.  There is no change at this time to what a child must demonstrate on either ECHOS or FAIR.

How is this different - prior to this change in legislation, a child was determined "kindergarten ready" if the child was ready on either ECHOS or FAIR. Current data clearly shows this change requires much more focus on emergent literacy skills as measured by FAIR.

For VPK providers - two (2) important changes:

1.  Beginning with the current kindergarten class (children who were in VPK during the 2010-11 school year and 2011 summer program), the State Board of Education is now requiring that 70% of the children served by a VPK provider must be determined "kindergarten ready" for the provider to be determined as successfully meeting VPK performance requirements.

How is this different - prior to this change in legislation, a VPK provider was compared to all other VPK providers and the bottom 15% were determined to be Low Performing Providers (LPP). The threshold is now the same for every VPK provider.

2.  Providers who are determined as NOT successfully meeting VPK performance requirements can now appeal based on "learning gains" using pre/post assessment results.

How is this different - prior to this change in legislation, a VPK provider was compared to all other VPK providers and the bottom 15% was determined to be LPP. The only appeal, after 4 consecutive years as a LPP, was based on an excessive percent of children with disabilities and/or an excessive percent of English Language Learners. There was no appeal based on serving a high number of children from low income families. The change now levels the playing field for providers who serve the most challenged children (including low income children) by allowing the presentation of evidence of learning gains.

What should you do to take advantage of these changes? 

• Do not start "screening kids out". Research shows the most challenged children show the most learning gains when provided with a high quality learning environment.
• Do participate in Coalition-sponsored training to understand the skills that are being assessed on ECHOS and FAIR. Make sure your curriculum supports the development and mastery of those skills.
• Do share the skills required for kindergarten with parents of the children in your care. Talk with them about how they can reinforce the skills you are teaching at home.
• Do conduct pre/post (and preferably mid-point) assessments if you are not doing such already. And make sure your teachers know how to translate the results into meaningful curriculum interventions that build emergent literacy skills. We don't know yet how the pre/post evidence process will work, but get your teachers comfortable with the assessment process.
• Do remember young children learn best by scaffolding play. You can get the results you need while still being developmentally appropriate.
• Do remember that children don't start getting ready for Kindergarten when they are 4 years old. Make sure your birth-three program is aligned with what you will be teaching in your 4-year-old classrooms.
• Dorespond by calling your legislators when the Coalition provides information about the State Board of Education's plan to seek funding for a per child "curriculum and pre/post assessment allowance". This is probably our best shot at getting additional funding to help every Orange County child enter school ready to learn.