Progress Reports

Goal 1: By 2010, all third grade students will be proficient - or on a learning plan to become proficient - in reading and math.

Objective 1A: Ensure that all students entering kindergarten are performing at developmentally appropriate levels.

Initiatives:

1. Establish a Kids Cabinet for the purpose of coordinating services for children.

	Identify agencies and programs within agencies to form the Cabinet: Department of Education, Department of Social Services, Department of Human Services, Department of Correction.
	Hold inaugural meeting to determine purpose, function, and projects.
	Identify priorities and work plan, track progress, barriers, needed action, and solutions.
	Organize community meetings
	Provide annual report to the Governor and Cabinet.

Staff: Deb Barnett

2. Provide statewide access to screening for 3-year-olds

	Identify current developmental screening available for to 3-year-olds.
	Identify gaps in screening, determine method for covering gaps.
	Identify fund source(s) for statewide screening; determine screening process, instruments, and method of notifying parents of opportunity.
	Identify method for tracking screening data and a mechanism for parental referral following screening.

Staff: Deb Barnett, preschool work group

3. Establish preschool accreditation standards.

	Determine outcomes of accreditation standards – “What does an accredited preschool look like?”
	Research accreditation standards of certain states, i.e. states with high rankings from national associations to align with South Dakota’s accreditation outcomes; also review Head Start standards.
	Preschool work group drafts accreditation standards.
	Proposed standards brought for first reading to South Dakota State Board of Education; open for public comment.
	Accreditation standards adopted by South Dakota Board of Education.
	Technical assistance and a method of oversight established by Department of Education.

Staff: Deb Barnett, preschool work group

4. Establish preschool teacher certification standards.

	Determine outcomes of preschool certification – “What competencies should a certified pre-school teacher have?”
	Research preschool certification standards from other states with high ranking from national associations to align with South Dakota’s certification outcomes.
	Preschool working group drafts certification standards.
	Proposed standards brought for first reading to South Dakota State Board of Education; open for public comment.
	South Dakota Board of Education adopts preschool certification standards.
	Department of Education determines professional development necessary for teachers to gain certification and implements method of access to necessary coursework to gain certification.

Staff: Staff from Office of Accreditation, and Teacher Quality, Deb Barnett, preschool work group

5. Initiate coordination of services for preschool programs.

	Identify existing preschool programs for 4-year-olds.
	Determine gaps – demographics, income, etc.
	Research statewide preschool efforts in other states, particularly school and community blended approaches.
	Leverage state dollars with United Way/Forward Sioux Falls dollars to implement pre-K pilot in Sioux Falls.
	Determine phase in of statewide access to preschool.
	Identify funding streams; methods of distribution of funds.
	Implement phase in of preschool programs.

Staff: Deb Barnett, subcommittee of Kids Cabinet, member(s) of the Legislature, preschool workgroup

6. Provide training in early literacy and numeracy for teachers pre-K through grade 3.

Staff: Deb Barnett, Stephanie Weideman, Office of Curriculum, Technology and Assessment

Objective 1B: Demonstrate annual growth of 2 percent in reading and 5 percent in math in the primary grades (K-2) as measured by the Dakota STEP.

Initiatives:

7. Require mandatory kindergarten, effective July 1, 2010.

	Draft agency bill to require mandatory kindergarten.
	Approval of Governor’s Office.
	Lobby through legislature.

Staff: Deb Barnett

8. Create an assessment tool to measure student progress.

	Develop online diagnostic standards-based assessment tool (Achievement Series).
	Determine what the benchmark assessments will be for measuring progress in reading and math in the primary grades.
	Provide teacher training on use of assessments.
	Roll out professional development opportunities; evaluate.

Staff: Stephanie Weideman, Assessment Advisory Council, Gay Pickner, Michelle Mehlberg