K Screen Update 10 - October 2020

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K Screen Update

K Screen Update 10

October 2020

Ben Riley

 

Our New Program Consultant 

We are excited to announce Ben Riley has joined our team as a program consultant in the Division of Assessment and Accountability Support. Riley is from Lexington. He taught kindergarten for seven years at Eminence Independent Schools. He has a master's in education leadership and enjoys leading by helping others.

His experience with the K-Screen process will provide valuable support and assistance for kindergarten teachers across the state. If you ever need assistance in implementing the K-screen process at your district or school or just have general questions, email him at ben.riley@education.ky.gov

K-Screen Deadlines 

Due to the extraordinary circumstances that COVID-19 has presented in completing the K-Screen process, the K-Screen window will remain open until further notice.

The Kentucky Board of Education approved a waiver on Aug. 6 of the Kindergarten Screen administration and reporting windows as set forth in 704 KAR 5:070. The waiver removes the restricted screening window of 15 days prior to the first day of school through the 30th instructional day after. The administration and data reporting windows currently do not have deadlines set for reporting. This information will be updated frequently as the year continues. 

Schools may begin screening students at any time and will have more days than customary to screen students. Public reporting, typically in December, also will be moved forward into 2021.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will keep you informed as the pandemic unfolds and more information develops. More information also is available on the KDE K-Screen webpage, which is updated frequently.

Electronic Forms (Repeat)

The Kindergarten Prior Setting form in English and Kindergarten Prior Setting form in Spanish, and the Self-Help/Social-Emotional Scales form in English and the Self-Help/Social-Emotional Scales form in Spanish have been converted to an electronic format and are available on the Kindergarten Screen webpage

Parents/guardians can complete the forms online, save the file and email the completed forms to their child’s teacher or other school staff.

Non-Participation Requests (Repeat)

Occasionally there are students who experience a medical or extraordinary circumstance during the kindergarten screening time frame and are unable to be screened. In those cases, the school or district Kindergarten Screen coordinator can request a nonparticipation, with supporting documentation, in the Student Data Review and Rosters (SDRR) application when it opens for K Screen (date to be determined).

With the expanded screening administration window, it is too early to determine if a student will be eligible for an exemption from screening. If the student’s circumstances change, it might be possible to screen the student later in the year. For now, if you have students that you believe will likely be exempted, hold documentation at the school or district until SDRR opens for those requests.

Processes also are being developed for requesting exemptions for students who are not able to be screened for reasons related to COVID-19 (e.g., student does not return to school in person before K Screen closes).

An exemption process will be developed for individual students to be waived from taking the K Screen through the SDRR application.

For districts that do not return to in-person sessions, a different process will be developed for the superintendent to request from the commissioner a waiver of the K Screen for entire schools within the district. Until then, students should be screened if possible.

More information will be shared as details are finalized.

Screening Repeating Kindergarteners (Repeat)

In previous years, screening repeating kindergarten students was not required. Last school year it was optional. Beginning this school year (2020-2021), all students who have been retained in kindergarten will need to be screened again.

Screen data for all new and repeating kindergartners must be entered in the Brigance Online Management System (OMS).

It is not possible to manually add students to the OMS. As students are enrolled in Infinite Campus, they will be included in the weekly file provided to populate the OMS.

Only students assigned to a course that has been mapped to state code 703001 (Elementary Homeroom) in state grade 00 (Kindergarten) in the course roster in Infinite Campus need to be tested and will be included in the OMS.

In This Issue

Our New Program Consultant

K-Screen Deadlines

Electronic Forms

Nonparticipation Requests

Screening Repeating Kindergartners

 

K Screen Resources

Common Kindergarten Entry Screener, KDE
Information on the K Screen, plus forms and previous updates.


Open House Data, KDE
K Screen results released statewide.


Curriculum Associates, Kentucky
Online training videos regarding the OMS can be found here.


COVID-19 Assessment and Accountability Resources
Offers information and resources for educators and parents pertaining to assessment and accountability.


KDE COVID-19 Information
Updates and information for K-12 education.

 

K Screen Consultant

Ben Riley

(502) 564-4394 ext. 4743