Arkansas Better Chance

State Assessment

Early Childhood Assessment

• Strategic and ongoing

• Observational emphasis

• Allows for differences among individual children

• What child can do alone & with assistance

Early Childhood Assessment

• Nature of the preschool child• Importance of context• Difficulties with “on-demand”• Helpful for child and teacher

Early Childhood Assessment

• Multiple opportunities

• Whole Child/Developmental perspective

• Curriculum –

assessment connection

Work Sampling System

• Well-researched evidence –validity and reliability of the

assessment

–full implementation raises achievement

–families respond positively

WSS

• Performance-based

• Curriculum-embedded

• Multiple ways of knowing & doing

• Accommodates individual differences

• Trusts teachers as decision makers

WSS Domains

• Personal & Social Development• Language and Literacy • Mathematical Thinking• Scientific Thinking• Social Studies• The Arts• Physical Development & Health

WSS

• Full implementation includes–Guidelines and Checklist

–Portfolio

–Summary Report

Guidelines & Checklists

• Picture of what can be expected– Across all domains

– Know and do

• Criterion referenced

• Based on national standards

Guidelines & Checklists

• Rationale and example behaviors

• Connected to AR ECE Benchmarks

• Children evaluated as– Not Yet

– In Process

– Proficient

Portfolio

• Structured portfolio

• Requires ‘common’ elements across all children

• Expects ‘individual’ items reflecting child’s individuality

Summary Report

• Comprehensive summary of student achievement

• Communication tool for families

• Planning tool for teachers

WSS

• Documentation of children’s learning and development

ABC WSO Organization

DCCECE

ABC Grantee DEF Grantee GHI Grantee

Site A Site B Site X Site Z

Teacher 1

Teacher 2

Teacher 3 Teacher 4

Teacher 5

Teacher 6

WSO

• Teachers enter checklist data online

• Portfolio items electronically stored

• On-line resources for teachers

WSO Online

• Aggregating and Disaggregating data

• Check children’s development progress

• Check teacher progress in data entry

• Create customized reports

WSO

• www.worksamplingonline.com

• Administrator accounts (grantee level) being created

Arkansas Implementation ofWSS

Developmental process for all stakeholders and participants

Arkansas Implementation

• Regional Teacher Trainings

• Mentors: 5 onsite visits

• Online data reviews

• January debriefing

ASUChildhoodServices

Arkansas Implementation

• Regional trainings for the online administrators

ABC WSO Organization(mentor involvement)

DCCECE

ABC Grantee DEF Grantee GHI Grantee

Site A Site B Site X Site Z

Teacher 1

Teacher 2

Teacher 3 Teacher 4

Teacher 5

Teacher 6

Arkansas Implementation

• Guidelines and Checklist

• 4 Domains

–Personal and Social

–Language and Literacy

–Mathematical Thinking

–Physical Development and Health

Arkansas Implementation

• Two collection periods

–Mid-January

–Mid-May

Arkansas Implementation

• Assessment budget can be used for

–Computer purchase

–Substitute pay

–Documentation tools

Contact Information• Joanna Grymes

• ABC WSS Implementation, Program Coordinator

• grymesj@astate.edu

• 870-972-3059• http://www.clt.astate.edu/grymesj/WSS/ws

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