LAKEPORT— The First 5 Lake Commission received a report on the results of its 2019 Kindergarten Entry Developmental Profile (KEDP) study at its January meeting. The report was written and presented by evaluation consultant, Crystal Duarte of Social Entrepreneurs, Inc. in Reno, NV.
Lake County’s KEDP is a joint effort with Lake County Office of Education and involves a structured process whereby teachers observe the students in their classroom during the first few months of the new school year and then rate each child’s developmental level according to 15 indicators across five skill areas including social/interpersonal, language comprehension and expression.
In 2019, 12 schools participated in the KEDP with 31 kindergarten and transitional kindergarten (TK) teachers completing assessments of their students, for a total of 637 children, or 74% of all children enrolled in TK and kindergarten in Lake County. One key finding from the 2019 KEDP was the correlation of increased school readiness with previous participation in Imagination Library. The Imagination Library program distributes one free book per month to children from birth to their fifth birthday. In 2019, 106 of the 520 assessed kindergartners were known to be participating in this program. The study shows that the percentage of developmental indicators rated as “school ready” for students participating in Imagination Library are higher across all five skill areas than those for students who did not participate in the program.
Additional comparisons were made in the report based on previous early childhood education experiences, age, ethnicity, gender, language, and school district. The 2019 ratings continued the trend seen in 2018 with increases in percentages of school readiness across virtually all skill areas for both kindergarten and TK students. With the highest areas of readiness being Math (65%) and Literacy (58%), and Social/Interpersonal (53%) as the area of least readiness.
The full KEDP report and the presentation slides shared by Social Entrepreneur’s, Inc. can be read and downloaded at http://www.firstfivelake.org/reports.php. While the Imagination Library books are mailed free to children, there is an associated cost to the Lake County Office of Education of $25 per child, per year. Administered by LCOE, this program is funded by donations from local businesses, community organizations and individuals. To learn more about enrolling a child in Imagination Library or supporting the program with your donations, go to: https://www.lakecoe.org/Imagination_Library.
Using funds derived from CA Proposition 10’s voter-mandated tax on tobacco products, the First 5 Lake County Commission funds programs and services that benefit the health and development of young children and educate parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers about the critical role they play during a child’s first five years. Since its inception in 2000, First 5 Lake has supported thousands of families with programs and services designed to help Lake County children grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school and life. The Executive Director for First 5 Lake is Carla Ritz and current First 5 Lake Commissioners include among others:
Dr. Derrick Barnes, Vice Chief of Staff and Obstetrician, Sutter Lakeside Hospital
Brock Falkenberg, Lake County Superintendent of Schools
Susan Jen, Health Leadership Network Director
Pam Klier, Retired Kindergarten Teacher
Crystal Markytan, Lake County Social Services Director
