KDI Pilot Implementation Outcomes

FLAGSTAFF May 24, 2019.  Linda Harbottle

The LAUNCH Flagstaff Multi-LEA Collaborative is concluding its one year pilot of the Kindergarten Developmental Inventory (KDI) for the 2018-19 school year.  The goal of the collaborative team was twofold – (1) to determine the value of the KDI as both an assessment and a teaching tool to support effective teaching and learning, and (2) as a valid and reliable tool for evaluating success in a consistent manner across all schools in our community.  The collaborative team initially was comprised of the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) and two Flagstaff charter schools – Mountain School and PEAK School. The pilot concluded with the following schools participating – Killip Elementary School, Kinsey Elementary School, Marshall Elementary School, Sechrist Elementary School and PEAK School.

The participating schools determined that while the KDI provided support for effective teaching and learning, it was a cumbersome and labor-intensive tool when also trying to complete the Kindergarten Development Assessment (KDA), a locally developed tool used by FUSD and several other schools.  The Arizona Department of Education’s expectations were that the KDI should not replace a district’s current assessment, but be used to complement and support a balanced assessment system.  Keeping in mind the concurrent utilization of the KDA and the KDI, the collaborative team determined they would focus on one out of the ten objectives: Social-Emotional Development.  The teams collected evidence and documentation to show how students – (1) regulated their emotions and behaviors, (2) established and sustained positive relationships, and (3) participated cooperatively and constructively in group situations.

The collaborative team gained great insight into the social emotional skills that are necessary for students to be successful from birth through third grade.  While the use of the KDI will not continue, the FUSD schools determined there was a need to revise the Kindergarten Development Assessment (KDA) as they moved towards a better tool for including and evaluating social emotional skills.  A team of FUSD Kindergarten teachers worked together to determine which of these skills should be evaluated in the future. Implementation of the new KDA revision will begin in the 2019-20 school year.

Linda Harbottle is a district-wide literacy coach in the Flagstaff Unified School District and served as the coordinator for the KDI implementation pilot for all participating local educational agencies (LEA’s).