Bill Text: CA AB2553 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Kindergarten readiness.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-28 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Held under submission. [AB2553 Detail]
Download: California-2009-AB2553-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2553 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 12, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brownley FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to add Article 19.6 (commencing with Section 8433) to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code,relating to child development services.relating to kindergarten readiness. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2553, as amended, Brownley.Child development services: school readiness.Kindergarten readiness. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to develop prekindergarten learning development guidelines, focusing on preparing 4- and 5-year-old children for kindergarten. The guidelines are required to identify appropriate developmental milestones for each age, how to assess where children are in relation to the milestones, and suggested methods for achieving the milestones.This bill would require the department to collect data that will assess the school readiness of children entering kindergarten and that reflect all of the major domains of child development, as specified.This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that California establish a statewide kindergarten readiness data collection tool, or set of tools. The bill would require that if the State Department of Education commences the process for the development of a data collection tool or tools, that certain components be included and that a plan for implementation of the tool or tools address specified issues. The bill would establish a group of representatives to collaborate with the department on the development of the data collection tool or tools. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Children who enter kindergarten ready for school are more likely to achieve later academic and life success. (b) A child's readiness for school includes physical well-being, social and emotional development, language development, cognition and general knowledge, as well as the child's approach toward learning. (c) Several counties in California have invested in developing instruments to measure school readiness. (d) At least 31 states have adopted kindergarten readiness instruments and a large number of these states collect data at the state level. (e) California currently does not have the ability to collect kindergarten readiness data to support and inform kindergarten teachers and early learning educators and providers, or to inform state and local policymakers as they craft policies to support the school readiness of the state's young children. California does not currently support a statewide, systemic approach to the collection and use of kindergarten readiness data that can better inform kindergarten teachers, early learning educators, providers, and state and local policymakers in their efforts to improve school readiness. (f) Local efforts in California, as well as national models in other states, can provide valuable lessons as California seeks to find an appropriate way to capture kindergarten readiness data and improve kindergarten readiness. SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a statewide kindergarten readiness data collection tool, or set of tools, that are practical to administer, that are used to collect data on a voluntary basis, that will guide and inform instruction, support local readiness efforts, and help policymakers gauge the state-level progress of school readiness. SEC. 3. Article 19.6 (commencing with Section 8433) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code , to read: Article 19.6. Kindergarten Readiness Data Collection 8433. (a) If the department commences a process for the creation of a school readiness data collection tool or tools, the department shall, in collaboration with the representatives described in subdivision (c), include the following guidelines: (1) Ensure that the kindergarten readiness data collection tool or tools can be used to both provide a statewide snapshot of the skills pupils demonstrate, based on teachers' observations, at the beginning of the kindergarten year, and to provide kindergarten teachers with information about the level of skills and behaviors that pupils demonstrate at the beginning of kindergarten. (2) Review work done in counties as well as other states that have successfully created tools that support instruction and inform policy. (3) Ensure that any kindergarten readiness measurement tool or tools crafted meet the following requirements: (A) Meet accepted statistical and psychometric standards for validity and reliability. (B) Are age and developmentally appropriate. (C) Include the multiple domains of children's development, including social-emotional development, and align with the California Preschool Foundations in the areas of cognitive, physical, language, and social-emotional development and the corresponding kindergarten content standards. (D) Are appropriate for use with children who are English learners. (b) If the department commences a process for the creation of a kindergarten readiness data collection tool or tools, the department shall, in collaboration with representatives described in subdivision (c), develop a plan for the voluntary implementation of the kindergarten readiness data collection tool or tools that address, but are not limited to addressing, the following: (1) How best to train and support personnel administering the tool or tools. (2) How the tool or tools complement the ongoing assessments done in the classroom to support and inform instruction and pupil progress. (3) How to distribute data to local educators, administrators, and state and local policymakers in a timely and useful fashion. (4) If and how the kindergarten readiness data collection tool or tools and methods for capturing kindergarten readiness data should be piloted. (5) If and how kindergarten readiness data can connect with school readiness data collected in preschool and other child development and care settings. (6) If and how kindergarten readiness data should be included or connected to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System. (7) Identification of potential federal or other non-General Fund funds for implementation of any components of the plan. (c) For purposes of this section, the representatives specified pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall include representatives from the California State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care as established by Executive Order S-23-09, representatives from the Legislature, teachers in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, early childhood professionals, education researchers, users of existing measures of school readiness, and children's advocates. (d) Any kindergarten readiness data obtained from a tool or tools developed pursuant from this section shall be used solely for informational purposes, and shall not be used for any other purpose, including, but not limited to, determining a child's eligibility for kindergarten or determining whether to retain a kindergarten pupil. (e) The guidelines and plan specified in this section shall be incorporated into any existing efforts to develop a tool or tools for kindergarten readiness. The department may use any federal funds or other sources, including private funds, for this purpose.SECTION 1.Article 19.6 (commencing with Section 8433) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, to read: Article 19.6. School Readiness Data 8433. The department shall collect data that will accurately and appropriately assess the school readiness of children entering kindergarten and that reflect all of the major domains of child development, including, but not limited to, social and emotional development, physical well-being and motor development, language and comprehension development, and cognition and general knowledge.