Preparing for the Spring 2024 VKRP Term
Spring has arrived! The trees have started to bud, the flowers are blooming, and soon students will demonstrate their academic growth through their end-of-year assessments.
The VKRP team is excited to work with educators in Virginia this spring to help with assessments and to provide data and resources for teachers that will aid in supporting students’ development.
Our VKRP spring assessment term is scheduled from April 8th – May 17th. To aid educators in their assessment preparation, implementation, and spring data utilization, the purpose of this blog is to provide guidance and quick tips on the spring 2024 VKRP assessment term.
Before the Assessment Term Begins
Things to Do:
Make sure you have a complete set of spring materials. See the “Quick Facts” below for more pre-k 4 and kindergarten materials information.
Download and review the VKRP Spring 2024 Manual for your specific level. There are separate manuals for both kindergarten and pre-kindergarten teachers.
Review the VKRP Online Training Modules.
Review the EMAS demonstration videos as needed.
Try out the practice assessments for the spring EMAS and the CBRS. This is also a great time to double-check your spring kit materials and coordinate how they work best for you as the assessor. This is especially important in both pre-k 4 and kindergarten this spring as there have been small modifications to EMAS items added to the assessment that will be new to educators.
Make sure your class list is up-to-date. Any additions or changes to class rosters must be made through the VLP site, and it can take up to 24 hours before new changes will sync to our VKRP system.
Know your divisions’/programs’ designated assessment window within our VKRP term dates.
Quick Facts:
- Since the spring and fall versions of the assessments are different, you will want to make sure you have the spring version of materials for the assessment level you are administering. Use the checklists to ensure you have all the materials you need and notify your program/division contact if you are missing something.
- An analysis of spring 2023 data showed that the pre-k 4 EMAS and kindergarten EMAS were not capturing the full range in students’ skills. Therefore, for spring 2024, slight adjustments to the items have been made on the spring EMAS for these levels. You will continue using the same kit, but we are sending a few additional materials to add to your kit and would like you to remove a page from your flipbook. Directions on what to remove and add will be included with your materials.
During the Assessment Term (April 8 - May 17, 2024)
Things to Do:
- Complete EMAS assessments within your division’s/program’s designated assessment window.
- Observe student skills/behaviors and complete the CBRS Assessments. Make sure you read each item carefully as not all items follow the same answer pattern.
Quick Facts:
- If a new student arrives within the VKRP Assessment Term (April 8th- May 17th), the student should still be assessed even if your division/program’s window has closed.
- If you have a new student arrive in the spring, make sure to observe them for four to six weeks before assessing them using the CBRS.
- The EMAS assessment is designed to continually save your data while you assess students within the system. The CBRS, however, must be completed in one sitting.
After the Assessment Term
Things to Do:
- Review classroom and student-level reports. See the “Quick Facts” below for more information.
- Collaborate with other educators to analyze VKRP data and explore resources that can be used to aid student growth in the last weeks of school. The VKRP Interpreting Reports document, located under the Reports tab/Understanding Reports, contains guidance for understanding student scores, especially on the growth reports. You’ll also find guidance on analyzing the data as well as locating instructional resources to support continued student skill development.
- Share data/reports with families (as your school, division, or program protocols allow). You can also share the Family Resource Packets with families at the end of the year as a way to continue the student learning over the summer months.
- Download or print relevant reports by June 30, 2024. Our VKRP Division and Program Contacts will be notified of this deadline, and the VKRP web portal also will have a banner, displaying this deadline as well.
- Inventory VKRP kit materials and alert school or program leaders if new materials need to be ordered for next year. Our VKRP Materials Coordinator will be communicating with division and program contacts later this spring to gather fall 2024 material orders.
Quick Facts:
- For downloading and printing your VKRP Classroom Level reports, you will see the following buttons in the upper right corner of the reports page. You can download/print the current report you are viewing, or all the Classroom Level reports at one time using “All Reports.”
- For the Student-Level reports, you will see the buttons below. “Current Report” will allow you to download/print the current report you are viewing. Clicking “All Reports” will provide you with all available reports for that individual student. Selecting “All Students” will produce the report you are viewing for all students in your classroom. This can be helpful when preparing to meet with families by pulling the Family Information Report for all students, which includes each student’s scores for the spring assessment.
The VKRP Team is here to support you if you have questions before, during, or after you administer the VKRP spring 2024 assessments. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support!
If we can assist you further, please contact the VKRP Hotline Team using the support chat, 866-301-8278 or vkrp@virginia.edu
More Questions for the VKRP Team? VKRP provides support via the online chat feature when you are in the system, via email vkrp@virginia.edu, and via toll free 866-301-8278
