Press Release: MSDE Awarded Grant To Strengthen Pre-Kindergarten Assessments

Project Involving Seven-State Consortium Receives Nearly $5 Million

For Immediate Release                                                      Contact: Bill Reinhard, 410-767-0486
                                                                                                

Baltimore, MD (September 13, 2013)


The U.S. Department of Education yesterday awarded a $4.9 million grant to a Maryland-led project designed to build a new generation of pre-kindergarten assessments.

The grant was one of three Enhanced Assessment Grants (EAG) announced yesterday by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan while on a back-to-school bus tour of the southwest.

"A child who's ready for kindergarten has a strong start toward success in school and in life," Secretary Duncan said. "The high-quality assessments that these states will develop will give educators and parents an additional tool for understanding a child's cognitive and non-cognitive development."

Maryland, a national leader in early childhood development, launched the Maryland Model for School Readiness more than a decade ago to help track kindergarten preparation. It is currently developing a new comprehensive assessment system, which includes a kindergarten assessment. The new grant will build on this work, expanding its effort within a seven-state consortium.

Joining Maryland in the effort are Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio. The grant will be used to enhance a state-of-the-art early assessment program and aligned formative assessments.

The EAG program is administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. For additional information on the program and these new awards, visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/eag.