Kindergarten Readiness is the foundation on which the rest of a child’s education is built.
Other problems may exist in the school system, but they are difficult to identify until kindergarten readiness has been fixed.

That lead to a search for kindergarten readiness statics for the state. I searched the state website and was directed to a page that explained:
• ‘Currently, the state of Minnesota does not have an estimate of the proportion of students entering kindergarten who meet readiness expectations. From 2003 to 2012, school readiness information was collected for an unrepresentative sample of kindergartners using a different methodology. This data is not presented here, given that it is not representative of the state and it will not be comparable to data that will be reported in the future.’
That lead to the questions, if the problem is from 2003 to 2012, why won’t the provide them prior to and after those dates, those stats should be comparable. It would imply that the stats from 2003 to 2012 were corrupt.

Although the Department of Education is not currently providing kindergarten readiness other statistics can be gleaned from other sources.
1. • The Itasca Report** notes that in Minnesota “only 43% of incoming kindergarteners are proficient in the language and literacy skills…required for a successful star.” 2005https://www.theitascaproject.com/documents/ECDReport.pdf

2. “Mark Dayton, along with the state commissioner of education and the Minnesota teachers union, which has been pushing to add universal pre-K to K-12 public schools for all the state’s 47,000 4-year-olds regardless of income.

In fact, according to the Minnesota Department of Education, most 4-year-olds in Minnesota seem to be doing fine without universal pre-K. The department reported that in 2013, nearly 73 percent of the state’s children entered kindergarten ready and “on track for meeting achievement targets” on Minnesota’s third-grade state tests. That leaves 27 percent of kids who need extra help. But it’s hard to see how starting these kids in the Minnesota public schools a year earlier is going to be the game changer they really need.”  https://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/2015/06/10/why-minnesota-doesnt-need-universal-preschool

I contacted the writer of this article and was assured that the stats were provided by the Minnesota Department of Education. The problem is that the average number of births in Minnesota is approximately 68,000 and at that time 73% were kindergarten ready.

3. Governor Dayton and Lt. Gov Smith (currently Senator Smith) in “Fact Sheet/Investing in Early Learning” “Only 60% of kids from middle-income families start kindergarten fully prepared to learn.”
I contacted the Minnesota Department of Education and asked explicitly for kindergarten readiness stats from 2000 to 2017 in total and broken down by race. I was redirected to pages that didn’t provide the information, so I asked the same person again and received an email stating that I needed to contact the director, who was on vacation. Several days after her vacation was over I reached out and asked for the same information. She did indicate by law she was required to provide the information. She explained that it was no longer called kindergarten readiness and once again I was directed to a site that did not have the information I requested. So back I went and was informed the Kindergarten Readiness from 2003 to 2012 would be scanned and forwarded (wait a minute I was under the impression this was corrupt information). So I reached out again and was informed I could talk to her staff about it. The director was cautious to indicate the information was not online but did not say it wasn’t available.
These are vital stats would provide much-needed information on the results of UPK.

The Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Education (teachers union), Gov. Dayton & Lt Gov Smith all endorse Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)

The questions this brings up:
1. Is there a coverup?
2. Is this happening in order for UPK to get established?
3. Or is this incompetence?

Appropriate actions need to be taken to ensure that state agencies provide information, in an easily accessible format and in a timely manner.

This organization is seeking the same information;

My experience trying to obtain reasonable kindergarten readiness statistics from the state has been met with resistance.

I have asked for kindergarten readiness statistics from 1998 or 2000 to 2017 broken down by race and in total. My plan was to compare these numbers to graduation numbers. I have been directed to pages that did not have the information, I was informed only the director could help me, again I was directed to pages that did not have the information that I was seeking. The information that I asked for was restate and the time frame was changed. I received a response seven weeks after I asked again this time the response explained:

‘please note that MDE’s summary data costs policy likely will apply if you decide to proceed with your data request.‘

‘MDE can prepare the data that you requested from existing data, with the caveat that the data is not comparable over the years you requested; data collected before 2006 used different methodologies than data collected beginning in 2006. In addition, given existing staffing limitations and project obligations at MDE, we will not be able to dedicate staff time to your data request until October or early November.’

The additional delay is a problem considering my goal is hopefully to create a dialogue about Minnesota children prior to the election.

There excuses don’t add up either “From 2003 to 2012, school readiness information was collected for an unrepresentative sample of kindergartners using a different methodology.”

Legislative Auditor

I filed the following complaint with the Legislative Auditor in an effort to get a better understanding why statistics were not readily available.

Re: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)
Background
Minnesota has an Achievement Gap (also called Educational Gap and Opportunity Gap). It is the disparity in education results between different groups.

In 2017 Minnesota had 66,330 seniors in high school of which 11,487 did not graduate. While this is measured at the time of graduation, all parties agree that the key measure for determining a change is kindergarten readiness. MDE acknowledges this on their website, “Children with higher levels of readiness going into kindergarten are more likely to have better third-grade reading and math achievement.”

There are two proposed solutions:
1- Universal Pre-Kindergarten, provide ½ day school for four-year-old.
2- Scholarship Model, essentially providing support for qualifying impoverished families.

Hundreds of Millions of taxpayer’s dollars is at stake. I contacted the Office of the Legislative Auditor, the response is on the next table.

Complaint

Minnesota Department of Education may be trying to influence state policy by not providing data or information to the legislature.

1. MDE has wasted millions of dollars on collecting statistics on kindergarten readiness and not providing them in a usable form.

a. “Kindergarten Readiness, Currently, the state of Minnesota does not have an estimate of the proportion of students entering kindergarten who meet readiness expectations.
From 2003 to 2012, school readiness information was collected for an unrepresentative sample of kindergartners using a different methodology. This data is not presented here, given that it is not representative of the state and it will not be comparable to data that will be reported in the future.” (https://mn.gov/mmb/results-for-children/key-goals/kindergarten-readiness.jsp)

• It appears that there was an issue with the data from 2003 to 2012, why is it that the data before and after is not available?

b. Wanting some or any information, the site provided a contact person.

i. I contacted him and was directed to a site that didn’t provide what I asked for.
ii. I reached back out and was told I had to deal with the Director of Early Learning Services Bobbi Burnham.
iii. I contacted Ms. Burnham and made what I thought was a simple request. Again, I was given a page that did not provide the information I was looking for. At that point, I suffered through evasive moves including stalling, misdirection all the way up to being told the data was not accurate, but I could pay the state a fee for anything I wanted. Those emails would be available from MDE or (admin@publicrecordmedia.org)

c. In a letter to MDE commissioner in February 2018 indicates that the state spent over $9M collecting data and has not shared that data. (https://s3.amazonaws.com/Omnera/VerV/s3finder/54/pdf/MDE_K-ReadinessData_CloseGapsby5_2.2018.pdf)

Consider the MDE acknowledges that kindergarten readiness is the key to solving the achievement gap but is unable to measure it, for over 20 years!

2. Research has been limited to determine the problem. While the state appears to have segregated the data by race, they have not pushed down one more level to identify other factors that may impact the Achievement Gap.
a. Merely using the Census Bureau and cross-referencing poverty and education statistics by district would determine if it played into the problem.
b. The banking industry has to adhere to the community reinvestment act, and those maps are used to determine compliance. Using those maps and cross-referencing the maps that plot out the achievement gap could also be used to understand the problem.
Good statistics would improve the ability to understand the problem.

3. An article from US News & World Report is very telling, two leaders in Minnesota Education express their opinion:
“State Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius said she’s “super-perplexed that we’re even having a debate.” “I’d like to know their basis for making some of those statements,” she said of the scholarship program’s proponents. “We know that universal pre-K helps all kids.”
The head of the state teachers union Denise Specht argued that free pre-K for all four-year-old and the plan’s requirement that pre-K teachers be state-licensed by 2020 (a predicted 2,849 licensed teachers would be needed) are the best approach to “reducing opportunity gaps in Minnesota.”
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/2015/05/12/minnesota-shows-the-next-front-in-the-universal-preschool-fight

I. Is Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius not current on the scientific research on how and when children learn?
From the above quote, I struggle to understand her statement.
“I’d like to know their basis for making some of those statements,” she said of the scholarship program’s proponents.
Scientific, peer-reviewed, research is clear the opportunity to solve this problem is in the first three years of a child’s life. They have also identified the problem to be poverty.

• College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota
• Center of Developing Child, Harvard University
• Many more high-quality research universities, including but not limited to:
   University of Maryland College Park
   University of Southern California
   University of California, Berkeley
   University of Pittsburgh
   University of California, Irvine
   University of Oregon
   Harvard Medical School
   University of Arizona
   The Rockefeller University

” Universal pre-K helps all kids”

• 18 school districts have 100% graduation rates (no issues with the achievement gap)
• 84 school districts graduation rate is 95% or Higher!
• The bottom ten districts graduate less than 68%, including Minneapolis School District graduating rate of 66%
  One would have to wonder how the MDE Commissioner could be that out of touch with research?

II. Denise Specht, President of Education Minnesota (teacher’s union) “The voice of professional educators and students.”
“Denise Specht argued that free pre-K for all four-year-old and the plan’s requirement that pre-K teachers be state-licensed by 2020 (a predicted 2,849 licensed teachers would be needed) are the best approach to “reducing opportunity gaps in Minnesota.”

It doesn’t appear that Ms. Specht is aware of the substantial scientific research in this field.
As a leader in education in the state, she should understand that there is NO Achievement Gap in many school districts.
2,849 licensed teachers are only half, and in all likelihood less than half the number of teachers needed. Base on MDE estimates the total number of 4-year-old would be 57,000. By state law, there has to be one adult for every 10 children this age. Factor in ‘Every Student Succeeds Act’ requirements in all probability the number of adults may approach 8,000.

Costs of UPK
Costs per student in the Minnesota public schools is approximately $12,500. Many of those costs would be included in UPK, including bussing, buildings, supplies, meal programs (for those who qualify), etc. Additional costs would be in the higher staff to student ratio.

Costs for UPK are approximately $7,500 per child and clearly not necessary for all children. The Wayzata School District has an estimated 800 pre-kindergarten eligible students, UPK would cost the state $6 million dollars. Based on historical graduation rates 42 of these kids won’t graduate in four years.

An investment is UPK is wasting Minnesota’s taxpayer’s money.

The questions:
1- Why is MDE putting roadblocks in front of Kindergarten Readiness statistics?
2- Is MDE withholding information from the legislature in regards to research on the Achievement Gap?
3- Is MDE not up to speed with scientific, peer-reviewed, research?
4- The statements from the Education Commissioner and the President of the teacher’s union are suspiciously close. Is there a conspiracy going on?