The Maryland State Board of Education convened on February 27, 2024, to discuss critical updates regarding the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) and its implications for early childhood education in the state. The meeting highlighted the ongoing efforts to ensure that the KRA is free from racial, cultural, and linguistic biases, particularly in light of recent findings from a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University.

The KRA, a key component of Maryland's early childhood assessment system, has been in place for over a decade. It evaluates children's readiness for kindergarten across four domains: language and literacy, social foundations, mathematics, and physical well-being. Recent data indicates a recovery in readiness levels post-pandemic, with 44% of students demonstrating readiness in the 2023-2024 school year, an increase from the previous year.

However, the meeting revealed significant disparities among different student groups. For instance, only 24% of Hispanic/Latino students, 18% of students with disabilities, and 12% of English learners demonstrated readiness, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

The board discussed a recent study that identified moderate to significant performance differentials among various student groups, particularly affecting bilingual and multilingual students. The findings prompted recommendations to enhance the KRA, including the development of a section specifically assessing Spanish language proficiency and the formation of an advisory panel to ensure the assessment reflects the diverse backgrounds of Maryland's kindergarteners.

The urgency of these changes was emphasized, with plans to implement a new KRA by the upcoming school year. The board acknowledged the importance of training educators to administer the assessment accurately and discussed the possibility of emergency procurement to expedite the process.

In conclusion, the Maryland State Board of Education is taking proactive steps to address biases in the KRA, aiming to create a more equitable assessment system that accurately reflects the readiness of all students entering kindergarten. The findings from the study will be publicly released, marking a significant step towards transparency and accountability in early childhood education assessments.