Implementation of Early Childhood Instruments in the 2023-24 School Year

This correspondence provides updates relating to the administration and reporting of early childhood education instruments including prekindergarten instruments and kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 2 reading instruments in the 2023-2024 school year. Updates include key dates for administration and reporting of instruments for each grade level.  

Approved Prekindergarten Instruments for 2023-2024 

The Commissioner’s List of Approved Prekindergarten Instruments that was initially approved for use during the 2017-2022 school years has been extended for use through the 2023-2024 school year in accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §29.169 and §28.006. 

The Commissioner’s list, with detailed information about each instrument, can be found on the Educator Resources page of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website, as well as on the Data Tool Selection Guidance webpage. 

Districts and open-enrollment charter schools, in the provision of high-quality, full-day prekindergarten for 4-year-old students, must collect data regarding student progress in all five domains of health and wellness, emergent literacy: language and communication, emergent literacy: reading, emergent literacy: writing, and mathematics at both the beginning of year (BOY) and end of the year (EOY) by using one or more of the instruments on the Commissioner's list. This raw data must be submitted to the Early Childhood Data System (ECDS) by June 27, 2024. 

As part of the required family engagement plan, districts are encouraged to provide families with progress monitoring updates that address all five required domains at least three times a year. 

The BOY and EOY windows are determined locally. It is recommended that students are administered the BOY instruments within the first 4-6 weeks of school so that resulting data can be used for instructional purposes. While the ECDS submission window for prekindergarten data closes on June 27, 2024, LEAs are encouraged to begin submitting BOY data as early as November 13, 2023. 

Update to the Commissioner’s List of Approved Prekindergarten Instruments

An updated Commissioner's list of approved prekindergarten progress monitoring instruments will go into effect for the 2024-2025 school year. The updated list will include new instruments and modifications to existing instruments to provide LEAs with enhanced tools for monitoring student progress in early childhood education. 

To access the updated 2024-2027 Commissioner's List of Approved Prekindergarten Progress Monitoring Instruments and related information, visit the Early Childhood Education webpage on the TEA website. The list, along with detailed information about each instrument, will be available on the Educator Resources page and the Data Tool Selection Guidance webpage. 

Kindergarten Reading Instruments

Districts and open-enrollment charters must use either the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) or mCLASS Texas as the required beginning-of-year reading instrument. The authorization period for mCLASS Texas as a free, Commissioner-approved alternative reading instrument for kindergarten is through August 2024.   

Learn more about each of the kindergarten reading instruments on the Kindergarten Data Tool Selection Guidance page.  

It is recommended that students are administered the kindergarten instrument within the first 4-6 weeks of school so that resulting data can be used for instructional purposes. Families should be notified of the BOY results in writing within 60 days of administration. The Early Reading Indicator Code should be submitted in the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) twice a year by December 7, 2023, and June 20, 2024. The BOY data should be submitted in ECDS between November 13, 2023, and January 25, 2024. The universal dyslexia screener should be conducted by the end of the school year. The Dyslexia-Risk-Code should be submitted in PEIMS by June 20, 2024. 

Grades 1 and 2 Reading Instruments

Districts and open-enrollment charters must collect data regarding student reading proficiency using an approved instrument (either from the Commissioner's List or selected by a district-level committee as authorized under TEC §28.006 (b)). There are two free approved instruments for grades 1 and 2. The free tools are mCLASS Texas and TPRI/Tejas Lee. The authorization period for mCLASS Texas as a free, Commissioner-selected reading instrument for first and second grade is through August 2024.  

Learn more about each of the first and second grade instruments on the 1st and 2nd Grade Data Tool Selection Guidance page. Please note that Fastbridge has elected not to renew authorization as a free approved tool for the 2023-2024 school year.

Results of the first grade BOY collection are used to report student Early Reading Indicator codes in PEIMS twice a year by December 7, 2023, and June 20, 2024. A dyslexia screener should be administered to all first-grade students by January 25, 2024. Student Dyslexia-Risk-Codes must be submitted to PEIMS by June 20, 2024. 

Results of the second grade BOY collection are used to report student Early Reading Indicator codes in PEIMS twice a year by December 7, 2023, and June 20, 2024. 

Questions

If you have any questions regarding prekindergarten, kindergarten, grade 1, or grade 2 instruments, please contact the Division of Early Childhood Education by submitting a ticket through the ECE Support Portal.