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Redshirting traditionally refers to college athletes to sit out for a year to allow their physical growth and maturation. Now, academic redshirting commonly describes delay of children enrolling in kindergarten late for a year by parental choice. Research indicates it is most prevalent among White, male children whose birthdays fall just before the cutoff date for kindergarten eligibility whose parents are college-graduates and high earners (Bassok & Reardon, 2013).
What are the benefits of redshirting? Why do parents choose to delay? Research shows some of the most prominent benefits of delaying include physical maturity, having the ‘gift of time’ (Schanzenbach & Larson, 2017), and better test scores (Graue & DiPerna, 2000). It can be interpreted as by allowing children to have an additional time to attain not only their physical growth but also emotional stability, confidence, fine motor skills and ability to sustain attention longer which all together could result in high achievement test scores.
Despite aforementioned advantages of redshirting, research also indicates disadvantages of starting kindergarten late. Schanzenbach and Larson illustrate how children perform in April is not a great indicator of how they will perform in September because children’s development is highly uneven and unpredictable. They also revealed that benefits earned by redshirting dissipate by the time children are in 3rd grade (Schanzenbach & Larson, 2017). Also, Graue and DiPerna indicate children who enter kindergarten late were more likely to receive special education services and if children’s entry to kindergarten is delayed, opportunities for possible early intervention are also delayed (Graue & DiPerna, 2000).
In Washington State, the only requirement for a child to be eligible for entry to kindergarten is be five years of age as of midnight August 31 of the year of entry (WAC 392-335-010) unless an early entry exception is made (WAC 392-335-025). The same is true for first grade, that a child must be six years of age as of midnight August 31 of the year of entry to 1st grade (WAC 392-335-015).
Having attended kindergarten is not a requirement for first grade. Certainly, this year, there will be many children who have not attended kindergarten before coming to first grade. However, that isn’t to say that children have not been learning and growing. In fact, children grow everywhere and every minute, wherever they are, home or school. So just because they have not attended in-person kindergarten or perhaps had no kindergarten experience at all, learning has not been lost. They may have lost schooling or peer-interaction while they were home. But they still were learning with parents, families, and their teachers online, if they had virtual classes.
Over the next few months, OSPI will be releasing guidance for enrollment in the early grades, as well as resources for starting the school year, extending the transition-to-school experience, and supporting differences in prior learning.
Many working families with school-age children experienced an increased need for child care during remote learning. This is especially true for essential workers. Our state depends on child care and youth development programs so that its workforce can meet the needs of Washingtonians during these challenging times and help keep our economy afloat.
The difficult decisions districts had to make about return-to-school schedules have a direct effect on local child care and youth development programs. During COVID 19, child care and youth development programs across the state adapted to accommodate children who would typically be in school in person. They changed schedules, purchased special equipment for remote learning, and took on new health and safety practices to support students and families amidst a pandemic.
As schools bring students back in person, child care and youth development programs will continue to be an important part of the support system families rely on so they can work. The more they know about and are involved in decisions schools are making regarding their schedules, the better they can make the necessary changes to their programming and business models so they can keep providing essential services to children and families. This is especially important when school districts develop schedules that are different than returning to their typical school day schedule.
Schools can take steps to support students and families by engaging with local child care and youth development programs, especially for those who might be furthest from opportunity. The pandemic is not over, and the need for flexibility will continue. Below are some easy ways to help families and communities manage school changes as successfully as possible:
- Identify someone in the district as a point person between child care and youth development programs.
- Involve child care and youth development program leadership in schedule planning, including remote learning times and summer learning and engagement.
- Communicate changes in the school’s schedule/practices directly to child care and youth development program to allow time to make adjustments to support families as needed.
- Include child care and youth development programs in family-facing communications where appropriate. For instance, if the district sends regular updates to families via email, send to providers as well. If you need a list of child care providers please send a request to kathryn@childcareawarewa.org.
- Direct families needing child care to the Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center website or to call 1-800-446-1114.
- Direct families needing assistance with paying for child care to Working Connections Child Care: https://dcyf.wa.gov/services/earlylearning-childcare/getting-help/wccc.
- Be open to creative ways to continuing or begin sharing dedicated space during changes in schedules and over the summer, including the use of classrooms, the gym, multipurpose room, cafeteria/kitchen, outdoor/grounds, entry ways, and school-based health center/nurses offices.
- Within established district agreements and protocols, consider creative ways that district staff (interpreters, information technology, paraeducators, case managers, counselors, social workers, nurses) might assist students who need specialized or specific services while in child care and youth development program during remote learning.
- Provide access to technology supports to facilitate student learning in care, such as Wi-Fi, hot spots, and district devices for students, with training and technical assistance to child care and youth development programs who use district virtual learning management system(s).
Additional opportunities and considerations can be found under “Child Care” on the OSPI COVID-19 Guidance and Resources page.
For more information about:
For questions about child care and youth development partnerships contact Karma Hugo, Director of Early Learning, OSPI at karma.hugo@k12.wa.us.
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Fall 2020 WaKIDS Data and the State Report Card Reminder
Usually, OSPI posts the WaKIDS data from fall on the State Report Card that follow January. However, with unusual circumstances of 2020 due to COVID and remote learning, the fall 2020 WaKIDS data was not be posted on the State Report Card this January.
From the fall 2020 data, we found nearly a quarter of students have at least one incomplete domain-level data out of the six possible areas of assessment. At least 70% of the objective-level data is needed in order for a domain-level data to be produced. Also, the number of kindergarten students who participated in WaKIDS this fall is about 12,000 lower than previous years. With our population being significantly smaller in a systematic way, and because nearly a quarter of students are missing 1 out of 6 domain-level data, it is not possible to produce appropriate state-level readiness data.
There is no reason to doubt the validity of the student level data, but the rate of non-participation and the systemic nature of the non-participation means that the comparisons across schools or districts or over time at the state level may not be possible. Thus, data use should be limited to local, formative assessment practices, including facilitating conversations about student development between families and schools, but should not be presented in aggregate as representations of overall “readiness” at a school level or higher without first checking to see rates of assessment completion.
Accessing WaKIDS fall 2020 data
WaKIDS score files from fall 2020 checkpoint are available for each school district in WAMS File Downloads. Files can be found following this path in EDS:
WAMS> Assessment Operations> File Downloads> 2021 Administration> 3. WaKIDS Score Files.
WaKIDS data can also be access directly from the MyTeaching Strategies® assessment platform.
While using GOLD® for winter and/or spring is not required by OSPI, it is highly encouraged! Teachers can reassess all of the objectives, or just a small subset reflective of areas that students were low to track growth. Teachers returning to in-person instruction may be interested in reassessing social-emotional objectives to observe for differences in student behavior between remote and in-person learning. Teachers may also choose reassess a smaller subset of their students. There are many ways to use the WaKIDS assessment tool beyond the fall checkpoint period.
If you plan to use GOLD® more than once, keep in mind the checkpoint dates. This is when the MyTeachingStratgies™ online platform cycles into the next period – from fall to winter, winter to spring. Teachers may finalize data anytime prior to the checkpoint date.
Transitional Kindergarten classes need to assess children in winter and submit data by 4/9/2021.
Below are the dates for each checkpoint and closing of the WAMS transfer application:
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Winter
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Spring
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Checkpoint Date
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4/9/2021
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6/22/2021
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WAMS closing
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3/26/2021
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6/8/2021
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OER Commons is a free digital library of educational resources for families and educators. Anyone may access, download, and share the resources on the site. To access resources, create your account and sign up to join the Washington Hub. We encourage you to upload a photo to help colleagues find you and your shared resources.
OSPI has created a Washington OER Hub as Washington's platform for sharing K–12 open educational resources developed by OSPI, expert Washington educators, and our collaborators, promoting equitable access to standards-aligned, quality instructional materials.
Within the Washington Hub, OSPI Early Learning created the Washington Early Learning group including sections on family voice and relationships, WaKIDS remote instructional materials, and resources to support children’s transitions birth to 3rd grade. Educators adapt these open source documents to address their own classroom and children’s needs.
On the site, visit our “Supporting Youngest Learners” collection for additional suggested materials for educators and families. Some of these resources have been developed by OSPI, Washington educators, or collaborators and others link to external organizations providing both open and “free to use online” educational materials.
Alondra Mendoza, Administrative Assistant for Early Learning and WaKIDS OSPI: 360-725-6161 | Email: alondra.mendoza@k12.wa.us or WaKIDS@k12.wa.us
Yoona Park, WaKIDS Assessment Specialist OSPI: 360-725-6180 | Email: yoona.park@k12.wa.us
Gretchen Stahr Breunig, Kindergarten Transition Specialist OSPI: 360-764-0445 | Email: gretchen.stahrbreunig@k12.wa.us
Karma Hugo, Director of Early Learning OSPI: 360-725-6153 | Email: karma.hugo@k12.wa.us
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ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.
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