AB 2553 Summary

• Expresses legislative intent to establish a statewide kindergarten readiness data collection tool or set of tools for voluntary use by schools.

• Requires the State Department of Education, if it commences development of such tools, to include guidelines ensuring tools are valid, developmentally appropriate, align with California Preschool Foundations, and are appropriate for English learners.

• Mandates the department develop an implementation plan addressing training, classroom assessment coordination, data distribution, piloting, integration with preschool data, and connection to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System.

• Establishes a collaborative group including representatives from the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, the Legislature, kindergarten and elementary teachers, early childhood professionals, researchers, and children's advocates to work with the department on tool development.

• Specifies that kindergarten readiness data collected shall be used only for informational purposes and cannot be used to determine kindergarten eligibility or retention decisions.