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City Schools reports highest kindergarten readiness rate in nine years; pre-K students show larger gains
Summary
City Schools said its locally administered kindergarten readiness assessment showed gains: 53.4% readiness for students who attended district duty-center pre-K, 52% for students in City Schools pre-K, and 45% for all kindergarten students.
Baltimore City Public Schools reported its highest overall kindergarten readiness rate in nine years at its Feb. 11 board meeting, with the strongest gains among students who attended district pre-K programs.
Crystal Francis, executive director of the Office of Early Learning, told the board that students who attended City Schools duty-center pre-K programs demonstrated readiness at 53.4 percent on the district's kindergarten readiness assessment (KRA). Students who attended any City Schools pre-K program demonstrated readiness at 52 percent, while all City Schools kindergarten students scored 45 percent demonstrating readiness. The district reported a 6 percentage-point increase from last year and said pre-K-connected scores have risen more sharply since the pandemic, with a 16-point increase over a prior post-pandemic year and a 22-percent increase on earlier comparisons cited in the presentation.
District staff emphasized that Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) did not administer the statewide KRA this year; City Schools chose to administer the assessment locally to track progress. Staff said the district's pre-K curriculum adoption (Frog Street), professional learning tracks for teachers and paraeducators, play groups for children ages 0-3, extended-learning programs such as Camp Curiosity and frequent classroom walkthroughs contributed to gains.
Chief Academic Officer Joan Dabrowski and Francis also said City Schools will switch next year to the Renaissance assessment suite, which includes Renaissance Literacy and Star Math and offers teachers more real-time access to assessment data. The district plans to inventory classroom technology and work with MSDE for professional development tied to the new tool.
During board Q&A, Commissioner Redding Lawlinger asked about curriculum strengths and weaknesses; Francis said one recurring challenge has been items requiring phonological awareness such as rhyming but said interventions and vertical planning between pre-K and kindergarten teachers have been used to address gaps. Staff credited attendance and consistent participation in City Schools pre-K programs as significant contributors to readiness gains.
Ending: District leaders described the results as evidence that investments in pre-K curriculum, training and family-focused early learning supports are producing measurable improvement in kindergarten readiness.
