A review of the state’s approach to pilot testing and implementing a new school readiness assessment by Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) finds that the state needs to be much clearer about the assessment’s purpose and take proactive steps to ensure the results are used to boost early learning success and gain critical “buy-in” from educators in the early childhood program or kindergarten settings.

The Pennsylvania Kindergarten Entry Inventory (KEI) is a 30 question, observational assessment of learning skills of students starting kindergarten across five key areas: Social and Emotional Development, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Approaches to Learning, and Health, Wellness and Physical Development. (The Philadelphia School District is conducting the assessment on every incoming kindergarten student this fall.)