August 25, 2008
Bright Beginnings
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Reading – Mathematics
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Voluntary Prekindergarten – Grade 3
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Through the work that began in 1999 with the implementation of key statewide initiatives that focused on early, high
quality instruction and intervention, Florida has made substantial progress in meeting its goal that
all children should be
performing at or above grade level in reading and mathematics by the end of third grade
on Florida’s
Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT). Third-grade reading increased from 57-percent in 2001 to 72-percent in 2008
and mathematics from 52-percent to 76-percent.
PROBLEM
I.
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THE CHALLENGE REMAINS THAT TOO MANY THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS ARE STILL NOT
PROFICIENT IN READING AND MATHEMATICS.
There are still 28% of our students not reading on grade level and 24% of students not performing mathematics at grade
level. Forty-four percent of African American students and 34% of Hispanic students are not reading at grade level, 39%
of African American students and 27% of Hispanic students are not performing at grade level in mathematics. Many of
those who perform just at grade level are still very fragile, and will need continued support to remain at grade level as they
move through the intermediate grades.
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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August 25, 2008
II.
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ALTHOUGH THE GAP HAS DECREASED, IT IS STILL UNACCEPTABLE.
Florida’s Achievement Gap
2001
(Percentage Points)
2008
(Percentage Points)
Percentage Change
Hispanic Third-Grade
Reading Gap
24
18
-6
African American
Third-Grade Reading
Gap
33
28
-5
Hispanic Third-Grade
Math Gap
22
13
-9
African American
Third-Grade Math
Gap
36
25
-11
Kindergarten Readiness
86%88%
70% 72%
63% 64%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
ECHOS
Letter Naming
Fluency
Initial Sound
Fluency
Percent of Kindergarten Students "Ready"
Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener
(2006 - 2007)
2006-07
2007-08
ECHOS=Early Childhood Observation System
The gap is evident when students enter kindergarten. Therefore, if Florida is to meet its goal of 100% proficiency
in reading and mathematics by the end of third grade, it must be acknowledged that for some children, an
achievement gap exists upon their entry to school.
III. THE COST
In the 2006-07 school year, 16,646 students were retained in third grade at an estimated cost to the state of nearly $117
million (see chart below).
A.
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THIRD GRADE RETENTION DATA
Third Grade Retention Data and Approximate Cost to the State of Florida for an Extra Year of Third Grade
Students Retained
Percent Retained
Approximate Cost to
State
2006-2007 16,646
8.11%
$
116,555,292
2005-2006 14,158
6.9%
$
99,134,316
2004-2005 20,121
9.8%
$
140,887,242
2003-2004 20,644
10%
$
144,549,288
2002-2003 24,454
13%
$
171,226,908
Total 96,023
$
672,353,046
OPPAGA Report No. 06-66 (2008)
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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August 25, 2008
A.
THIRD GRADE RETENTION DATA (cont.)
These figures do not include the cost for additional interventions provided to students who score level 1 on the
FCAT in grade 3 and are promoted to fourth grade with good cause. These additional 21,714 students add an
approximate intervention cost of $52 million.
B.
JUVENILE JUSTICE COST
Research indicates that children not participating in high quality early learning programs are five times more likely to
engage in criminal behavior by the age of 27 (www.fightcrime.org). In addition, various studies on the cost-benefits of
early childhood programs indicate cost savings that range from $4 to $17 for each dollar invested in high-quality
prekindergarten programs.
Of the 32,304 inmates admitted into the Florida prison system in fiscal year 2004-05, approximately 70% were assessed
as having less than functional literacy skills. [Alliance for Excellent Education (2003)]
C.
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION COST
Percent of Children in Grades K-3 Identified as Having Selected Disabilities*
18%
17%
16%
15%
13.50%
13.80%
13.55%
14%
13.32%
13.26%
13.20%
12.93%
12.86%
12.90%
13%
12.52%
12.15%
12.32%
12%
12.20%
12.19%
12.02%
11.83%
11%
11.29%
10%
9%
8%
8.48%
8.86%
9.58%
9.81%
9.75%
10.13%
10.00%
10.81%
12.60%
14.09%
14.89%
14.79%
15.23%
15.35%
16.08%
16.84%
16.35%
11.71%
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
Grade K
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
K-3
Source: EIAS Membership Briefs and File 62.975 for October 2001 through October 2007
* Does not include students with sensory, physical, or medical disabilities or severe mental handicaps (visually impaired, deaf or
hard
of hearing, orthopedically impaired, traumatic brain injury, trainable and profoundly mentally handicapped, and
hospital/homebound)
This trend data supports anecdotal evidence that research-based early interventions, such as Reading First, reduce the
number of children in special education in the early grades, most notably in kindergarten. An average decline in selected
kindergarten through third grade students receiving special education and related services of .4% per year would result in
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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August 25, 2008
C.
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EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION COST (cont.)
a decrease of an estimated 3,200 students. This reduction in special education services would represent a cost savings to
the state of an estimated $6,620,800.00 annually. This figure is based on an estimated per student allocation of $2,069.00
(2008-09 guaranteed allocation of $1,079,945,286.00 divided by 521,887 ESE students) and a reduction in special
education enrollment of 3,200 students.
Research confirms that
early
interventions, rather than later interventions, are more effective in normalizing children’s
reading development and can reduce the incidence of poor reading to 2-6% of the country’s population, rather than the
current 38% of below basic fourth graders or the 17.5% of children with learning disabilities, 80% of which have reading
disabilities (Fletcher & Lyon, 1998).
SOLUTION
To meet the goal of 100% literacy and numeracy, we must strengthen our foundational programs in reading and
mathematics. That foundation must enable students to not only become proficient but exhibit strong mastery
during their “first four years” of formal schooling, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) through third grade.
•
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Florida’s standards, instruction, and assessments must be more rigorous.
•
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Standards, instruction, and assessment must be better aligned.
•
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Data on each child’s progress must be used by teachers to adjust/differentiate their instruction.
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Children must be provided effective interventions if they are not making adequate process so that their learning
can be accelerated and thereby “catch-up” with their peers.
•
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Teachers must have information about each child’s prior learning/accomplishments so that transitions from grade-
to-grade occur smoothly.
•
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Acceleration must be for
ALL
students. Children who are performing above grade-level must be provided with
enhanced instruction so that their rate of learning can continue.
•
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Activities to implement the above must take place at the parent, child, classroom, school, and district levels.
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Parents must be partners in this initiative and frequently informed of their child’s progress.
•
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This must ensure the teacher can be more effective.
TIMELINE
What’s ready (active/usable) this year? Next year? The year after? On the Web? Mandatory use?
•
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Phase I (2007-08)
o
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Planning for Bright Beginnings Web Site
o
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K-3 Reading Assessment Development
•
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Phase II (2008-09)
o
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Bright Beginnings Web Site Live, including VPK-Grade 3:
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Child Expectations/Standards in Reading and Mathematics
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Instructional Resources and Tools for Teachers Organized by VPK-Grade 3 Standards with Links
to Model Lesson Plans
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Information and Resources for Parents Organized by VPK-Grade 3 Standards
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Quarterly Updates to the above
o
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K-3 Reading-Specific Principal Walkthrough Available Statewide
o
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Content Classroom Observation Tool (PD3) Available Statewide
o
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K-3 Reading Assessments Implementation Study and Handheld Pilot (20 schools)
o
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Development of VPK Reading Assessments
o
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Planning for Development of VPK-3 Math Assessments
o
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Development and quarterly release of model lessons (VPK in all areas; K-3 in Math)
o
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Development and Release of VPK-Grade 3 Passport to Success (Parent Tool)
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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August 25, 2008
TIMELINE (cont).
•
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Phase III (2009-10)
o
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Bright Beginnings Web Site Enhancements, including:
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Pilot Online Reporting Network for VPK Reading and Math Assessments
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Quarterly Updates to Instructional Resources and Tools for Teachers and Information and
Resources for Parents
?
o
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K-3 Reading Assessments and Handheld Software Available Statewide
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o
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VPK Reading Assessments Implementation Study
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o
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VPK-Grade 3 Math Assessments Development
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•
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Phase IV (2010-11)
o
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Bright Beginnings Web Site Enhancements, including:
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On-line Reporting System for VPK Reading Assessments Available Statewide
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Quarterly Updates to Instructional Resources and Tools for Teachers and Information and
Resources for Parents
?
o
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VPK Reading Assessments Available Statewide
?
o
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VPK-Grade 3 Mathematics Assessments Implementation Study
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•
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Phase V (2011-12)
o
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VPK-Grade3 Math Assessments Available Statewide
o
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Online Reporting System for VPK Math Assessments Available Statewide
Comparison of previous solution to current initiative (what’s the improvement?)
Topic
Old Strategy
New Strategy
Reading Standards
Math Standards
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Didn’t align across grades
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Many concepts per grade,
requiring little depth in
understanding per concept
•
Aligns VPK-Grade 3
•
Fewer concepts
emphasizing mastery
aligned to world class
standards
Reading Assessments
•
Limited to narrow progress
monitoring assessments
focused at the word-level
•
Not linked to an outcome
assessment
•
In-depth comprehensive
reading assessment system
including assessment of
vocabulary and
comprehension
•
Linked to SAT-10 or
FCAT and predicts
performance on these
measures
Math Assessments
•
None available in VPK-
Grade 2
•
Progress Monitoring
assessments for VPK-
Grade 2
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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August 25, 2008
Comparison of previous solution to current initiative (what’s the improvement?) (cont.)
Topic
Old Strategy
New Strategy
Reading Instruction
•
Independent strategies
presented without a
connection to assessment
results
•
Many instructional
resource tools operating
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Provided professional
development on solid
research-based strategies
without a connection to
specific diagnostic
assessments independently
•
General walkthrough tool
not specific to reading
•
All instructional strategies
are directly linked to actual
assessment results provided
to individual teachers
•
One stop for all
instructional resources
•
Go “beyond the basics” to
core instruction to strong
interventions based on
diagnostic assessments
(prevent flatlining scores
caused by a lack of
intensive interventions)
•
Reading-specific tool
created to increase capacity
of leadership to evaluate
the fidelity/quality of
implementation
Topic
Old Strategy
New Strategy
Math Instruction
•
Less comprehensive
•
Focus on numbers
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No model lesson plans
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No support for leadership
•
In-depth instruction on
comprehensive strategies
•
Focus on standards-based
education that includes
numbers, geometry, place
value, and problem
solving.
•
Model lesson plans
•
The STEM/PROMiSE –
Federally funded
professional development
specific tool to build
capacity of leadership to
evaluate the fidelity of
implementation
•
Parent Resources
•
Parent resources developed
independently
•
Parent resources linked and
development coordinated
Delivery
•
Variety, Web-based, Just in
time
Florida Department of Education – Division of Public Schools
DRAFT
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