Section 37-21-11 - Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Program; legislative intent; timing of assessment

(1) There is hereby established the 'Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Program,' authorizing the Mississippi Department of Education to establish a common statewide Kindergarten readiness assessment, the purpose of which is to provide teachers, administrators and parents baseline data on students at the beginning of their Kindergarten year. It is the intent of the Legislature, in establishing this program, to ensure that the Mississippi Department of Education shall: (a) Select a readiness assessment that provides data on each Kindergarten student's performance to inform deployment of resources and instructional supports;(b) Establish a policy to ensure each student's parent or guardian is informed of the student's performance on the assessment;(c) Establish a policy to ensure that districts report results to the State Superintendent of Education; and(d) Require this assessment be given to all students enrolled in a public Kindergarten in Mississippi.(2) The Kindergarten readiness assessment may be given prior to the beginning of Kindergarten or during the first thirty (30) days of the Kindergarten year.Added by Laws, 2014, ch. 536, SB 2572, 2, eff. 7/1/2014.