Advisory Panel
Panel Composition
The Advisory panel is composed of kindergarten and preschool educators, early learning directors, and researchers with expertise in early learning assessment practices. Oregon Department of Education (ODE)’s selection process ensured that panel members have:
- A strong equity lens
Represent Oregon’s diverse communities, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x and other people of color
Have experience delivering the Kindergarten Assessment and/or have used the Kindergarten Assessment data to inform classroom practices and educational systems
Represent different regions around the state
Fall 2024
During the Fall 2024 pilot several improvements were implemented based on educator and partner feedback including:
- Robust data collection and entry training materials
-
Data collection form that accounts for all families regardless of level of participation
-
Multiple options for families to decline answering questions
-
Assurance techniques
-
More timely training and material distribution
-
Pilot Information
We also began developing tools to support the analysis of both the qualitative and quantitative data collected though the Family Conversation. In a joint effort between the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), research analysts from both agencies partnered to analyze the data in a way that aligns with the goals and values of the
broader ELTC project. The analysis process developed for the 2023 pilot data will guide the approach to analyzing the ELTC data as it is implemented in more schools and districts.
- Research Aims
-
Understand families’ experiences with early learning supports, services, and systems
-
Understand the strengths and needs of entering kindergarteners and their families
-
Understand families’ aspirations for their child and their child’s educational future
-
Who Participated?
-
Demographics
-
Geographics / aggregated summaries of school characteristics
Pilot Information
Community Conversations
In 2024 OKT designed and hosted listening sessions and interviews with people who work for early learning partners and programs and culturally specific community-based organizations that support families with young children.
The goal of the listening sessions was:
- to hear how the Family Conversation might be most helpful for partners in their work;
-
to hear about people’s experiences in supporting families to navigate early learning and kindergarten transitions;
-
to better understand how early learning partners, community-based organizations, and culturally specific partners approach family engagement; and
-
to identify opportunities for early learning partners, community groups, culturally specific organizations, and ODE and DELC to work together regionally or on a statewide level to better understand what is happening with early learning around the state.
Fall 2023
Update:
Based on feedback from families and educators who participated in the 2022 pilot the following changes were implemented for the 2023 pilot:
-
Name Change: Based on feedback the name “Family Interview” was changed to Family Conversation” to encourage a relationship- based approach, and avoid one entity’s dominance over another
Clear early and often in different ways as possible
Opportunities for educators to ask clarifying questions directly to ODE and DELC staff
Refine Professional Learning Materials - Updates to the learning materials provided to pilot sites included:
-
Clear Purpose
- Assurance Techniques
- Facilitation Guide
- Video Recording
Pilot Information
A total of 13 districts participated in the Fall 2023 Pilot. The Family conversation was implemented in 23 schools with over 1,000 families participating. Recruitment was targeted to include small, medium, and large school districts in both rural and urban areas of the state. A breakdown of the pilot locations can be seen in the charts below.
Community Conversations
In fall 2023, ODE and DELC worked with Oregon’s Kitchen Table (OKT) to again hear from families and educators who participated in the 2022 "Family Conversation" at over 30 schools and districts across Oregon.
The goal of the community conversations conducted by OKT was:
- to hear what people’s experiences in the family interviews were like,
-
to hear what ideas people had for future family interviews,
-
to understand how families and educators think the process might work better for families and schools in coming years,
-
and to hear from schools who participated the previous year about the changes made for 2023.
ODE AND ELD Priorities for the Fall 2023 Pilot:
Fall 2022
Pilot Information
The family interview questions, and training materials were developed and modified following feedback from family listening sessions in spring 2022 and from the project's advisory panel.
Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) began recruitment in spring 2022 for a district pilot to test out the newly designed tool with educators and families. ODE and ELD focused on recruiting schools who serve communities and children at the margins of the education system and who were least well served by the previous Oregon Kindergarten Assessment. Participation in the district pilot was voluntary. The pilot began with 16 schools interested in participating. Due to unanticipated circumstances, seven schools contacted ODE to postpone their participation in the fall 2022 pilot.
To prepare for the fall 2022 pilot, schools received materials in summer 2022 that included culturally responsive scheduling techniques, sample invitations, sample scripts, and facilitation guides. ODE and ELD also provided educators with recorded webinar training and hosted optional Question and Answer sessions. The recorded training covered the following topics:
- Culturally responsive scheduling
- Setting up welcoming environments
- Successful techniques to involve interpreters
- Tips for successful conversations with families
- Data collection process
ODE and ELD launched the pilot in fall 2022. Two of the schools completed the family interviews before starting the school year. Nine schools participated in both the pilot and feedback sessions. The schools are located across the state in rural, small cities, and large metropolitan areas. Three schools have dual immersion Spanish programs and many schools serve families who speak a language other than English.
Pilot Information
To gather feedback from the fall 2022 pilot, ELD and ODE partnered with
Oregon's Kitchen Table (OKT). OKT conducted nearly 20 community conversations with families and educators on the process and their experiences. All participants were compensated for their time and input. Most of the sessions were in person with food and child- care provided. The sessions were hosted by English- and Spanish-speaking facilitators and liaisons. A few sessions were virtual and hosted on Zoom. There were several families and educators who requested private conversations with OKT.
OKT had four recommendations:
- Ensure timely communication with educators and families.
- Put questions regarding pre-kindergarten care, programs, and services into context.
- Provide opportunities for follow-up with families.
- Strengthen culturally-specific outreach to families.
In response to feedback and recommendations from the community conversations, and following input from the advisory panel, ODE and ELD developed priorities for the fall 2023 statewide pilot. Click below to learn more about priorities and action steps.