What is WaKIDS?

The Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) is a transition process that helps to ensure a successful start to the K-12 experience and connect the key adults in a child’s life. WaKIDS also provides important information about where Washington's kindergartners are in their development early in the school year.

Data gathered through the Whole-child Assessment helps kindergarten teachers learn about the skills and strengths of the children in their classrooms so they can meet the needs of each child. The data collected is used to guide instruction and to inform the school, district, state policy, and practices. 

WaKIDS also provides important information about where Washington's kindergartners are in their development early in the school year. Inequities begin prior to the start of kindergarten and persist far into the child's K-12 experience and beyond. For too many children, this opportunity gap is never resolved (Cook, 2019; lruka et al, 2018; Winsler et al, 2008). 

Family Connection:

Family Connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child's education. This component occurs through a Family Connection Meeting which begins to build a relationship between the kindergarten teacher and each child's family.

The Whole Child Assessment in an ALE Setting:

The Whole-child Assessment component of WaKIDS is an observation-based assessment that requires:

• Developmentally appropriate opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do in a natural way; 
• Adequate time - in duration and frequency - within a developmentally appropriate context, in order to elicit the skills/behavior that is being observed; 
• Opportunities to make observations of students' interaction with age-alike peers; 
• Opportunities for multiple observations to determine the correct level of development and, 
• Opportunities for repeated attempts, if and when a student does not demonstrate a particular skill or behavior during the time allotted. 

Source: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) (Aug 2022)