In this 2011 report to the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Stakeholder Committee details the context for how and why the Illinois Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) was developed, as well as the assessment’s potential benefits and the necessary conditions, priorities, and next steps to successfully undertake KIDS in Illinois.
Key Findings
- A major goal of developing KIDS was to promote the success of every child by providing key adults — family members and teachers alike — with a clear picture of a child’s developing strengths across multiple domains, including cognitive skills, language, social-emotional skills, approaches to learning, and physical health.
- Key benefits of implementing KIDS includes promoting alignment, learning expectations and smooth transitions from a variety of early childhood program environments to kindergarten, as well as from kindergarten to early elementary grades.
- The Illinois Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Stakeholder Committee recommended that ISBE conduct an initial, voluntary pilot of KIDS in the 2012-2013 school year, with a demographically and geographically representative sample of school districts.
Policy Team & Collaborators
We have heard both enthusiasm for and skepticism about the use of technology in the early childhood field. One area of discussion is the use of technology to reach and support parents and other caregivers of children. Because of technology’s potential to engage parents and the many questions surrounding its efficacy, The Early Learning Lab decided to focus on this issue. After a comprehensive information gathering and interviewing, we’re excited to release the report NextGen Technology: Insights and Recommendations to Support the Parents of Children Ages 0–3 with our insights and recommended action steps.
Publications & Resources
Note: Reports were published prior to the Start Early and The Early Learning Lab merger.
