Learn more about the use of ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 as the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool through these FAQs.

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GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AGES & STAGES QUESTIONNAIRES

Is ASQ a diagnostic tool?

ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 are not diagnostic tools but, rather, screening tools. They will provide a developmental snapshot of the child at that specific time. Screening detects developmental delays in children—and celebrates milestones. Screening young children is an effective, efficient way for professionals to gauge developmental progress and determine meaningful next steps—at a time when action can have its greatest impact: during a child’s first years of life. Because social-emotional and developmental delays in children can be subtle and can occur in children who appear to be developing typically, most children who would benefit from early intervention are not identified until after they start school. In fact, this happens 70% of the time when busy pediatricians and specialists rely on clinical judgment alone.1

 1 Glascoe, F.P. (2000). Early detection of developmental and behavioral problems. Pediatrics in Review, 21(8), 272–280.

 

What translations of ASQ are available?

ASQ questionnaires have been translated into many languages to meet the growing needs of programs working with diverse families. Some translations of ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 are available to purchase or license.

ASQ-3 is available for purchase in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese. ASQ:SE-2 is available for purchase in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic. You can access these languages in the online system, with the purchase of the print product.

At this time, the 72-month ASQ-3 questionnaire is only available in English and Spanish.

A full list of available translations is available here.

WHAT IS THE KANSAS KINDERGARTEN READINESS SNAPSHOT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Why is the state of Kansas focusing on Kindergarten readiness?

Early childhood experiences lay the foundation for a child’s future academic success. A child’s health and physical well-being, along with the development of cognitive, communication and social-emotional skills, all can be influenced by the community, educational environment, family and the individual child. Effective policies, targeted and appropriate levels of funding, and collaborative systems of support enhance a child’s ability to thrive in learning environments.

In 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas: Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. Education leaders held dozens of focus groups with thousands of Kansans to shape this vision. The Kansas State Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) are tracking five key outcomes to measure progress toward achieving this Kansans Can vision:

  • Social-emotional growth
  • Kindergarten readiness
  • Individual Plan of Study (IPS) focused on the career interest for each student
  • High school graduation
  • Postsecondary success

Our Kindergarten readiness goal is that each student child enters Kindergarten at age five socially, emotionally and academically prepared for success. As districts continue to implement fully funded all-day Kindergarten, this builds on Kansas educators’ work to support developmentally appropriate and academically rigorous Kindergarten classrooms. See the Kansas Full-Day Kindergarten Guide for more information.

 

What is the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot? How was this tool selected?

Kansas needed additional information to better understand students’ development when they entered Kindergarten. During the Kansans Can listening tour, Kansans told education leaders that quality early childhood experiences should be a priority, and that school districts should collaborate with community partners in achieving that goal.

The Kansas State Department of Education collaborated with stakeholders to determine key principles for a developmental snapshot tool. Stakeholders established that the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool must include communication (language and literacy), problem-solving, motor, and social-emotional areas of development. They also determined that schools must engage families and caregivers in gathering information about a child’s development and early experiences.

In considering these core principles, KSDE selected the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ ®-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires ®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ ®: SE-2) to provide a snapshot of children’s developmental milestones when they enter Kindergarten across the state.

As caregivers know their children best, they complete both versions of the questionnaires.

ASQ-3 addresses five developmental areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving and personal-social.

ASQ:SE-2 addresses seven social-emotional areas: self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive behaviors, autonomy, affect and interaction with people.

ASQ is a tool that is used in many early childhood settings in Kansas, including health care, child care, and community-based preschool.

 

Why aren’t there specific criteria on the questionnaire for parents to make the scoring less subjective?

Kansas is taking a developmental snapshot approach to look at Kindergarten Readiness. ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 offer a quick, valid check of milestones, with skills selected that exemplify children’s development yet are easily observable and understandable across cultural and socio-economic groups. The items use familiar, concrete words that don’t exceed a sixth-grade reading level, and illustrations and examples are provided for as many items as possible. While not written formally, questionnaire items include details and examples to make the intent clear. Explicit item-by-item criteria would affect readability, increase time to answer a questionnaire, and be less suited for a measure parents complete. (And including “test criteria” might imply that there is a specific, single way each developmental skill must look, which is not the case.) Here’s what was reported in an article on development and validation of the 72 Month ASQ-3 for school-age children: “This tool can be used in kindergarten as it is easy to administer and score and many children can be screened at low cost. Pediatricians, professionals, and parents can use it to learn about skills the child has mastered, skills that are emerging, and skills the child is not yet doing.” 2

2  (Singh, A., Squires, J., Yeh, C.J., Heo, K.H., & Bian, H. (2016). Validity and reliability of the developmental assessment screening scale. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 5:124-8.)

 

Most parents don’t see their child interact with their peers because they do this at school or child care. How will their social-emotional answers be valid?

ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires were validated in a national normative study with parents responding to the questions (ASQ-3 sample includes 18,232 questionnaires, and ASQ:SE-2 sample includes more than 16,424 questionnaires across age intervals). Most parents see their children interact with peers—during playdates, family gatherings, birthday parties, social events, in the neighborhood, in the community, on sports teams, and so forth. For children who have been in a preschool or child care environment, parents typically have seen and heard about their children’s social interactions.

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN

What are schools required to do for the 2022-2023 school year?

All accredited schools are required to administer both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 to incoming kindergarten students.

For the 2022-23 school year, districts may submit this short survey if they would like to administer the 2022 Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot beginning April 1, 2022. Districts that apply to begin the Snapshot in the spring or early summer will agree to the following assurances:

  • The district will not use ASQ or other data as a gatekeeper/method to prevent 5-year-old children from entering kindergarten. Per Kansas law, the only requirement for entry into kindergarten is that a child be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 of the current school year (unless a child has previously attended kindergarten in another state).
  • The district will encourage all age-eligible students to enroll in kindergarten.
  • The district will accept the screening results in ASQ Online and follow up with the family within two weeks of completing the ASQ to provide results and learning activities.
  • The district will attempt to contact and gain consent to transfer ASQ results from families who complete the ASQ during the springtime but who do not enroll/attend the district at the start of the school year.
  • The district will share ASQ data with the child’s kindergarten teacher prior to the first day of school.

For districts that do not apply, the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot window will open July 1, 2022. All schools must administer ASQ to incoming kindergarten students by Sept. 20, 2022. All data (including pending Family Access screenings) must be entered into ASQ Online by Oct. 10, 2022.

 

What about a student enrolling or transferring from another school after September 20?

For the purposes of the 2022-2023 Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot, KSDE will only use data on screenings completed on or before September 20 and entered into ASQ Online on or before October 10. Participation rates will be calculated by comparing the number of students who participated to the number of students reported as enrolled on September 20. However, a teacher is welcome to use ASQ to screen at any point during the school year if that proves useful to the student or family and teacher relationship.

 

Can districts use ASQ in the spring for kindergarten roundup?

Yes. See the question “What are schools required to do for the 2022-2023 school year?” above.

 

Are schools required to do this again at the end of the year?

No.

 

Can districts utilize the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 online system?

Districts that have purchased ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 Starter Kits for a building are permitted to print or photocopy ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires, in accordance with photocopying and use guidance. Each building that will be using the ASQ system must purchase its own set of original questionnaires; master forms cannot be shared among a district’s buildings.

Beginning in July 2020 state funding is available to support administering screenings for any child birth through kindergarten entry served by a school.

 

Do we have to do both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2?

Yes, districts are required to administer both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 for incoming kindergarten students.

 

Are virtual schools and virtual programs required to administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot to incoming kindergarteners?

Yes. All accredited schools are required to administer both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 to incoming kindergarten students. This includes incoming kindergarten students enrolled in virtual schools and virtual programs. Virtual administrators should contact Amy Rzadczynski, arzadczynski@ksde.org, to discuss where students will be reported in the ASQ Online system.

 

Who are Program Administrators and have they all been chosen? How do we know who they are?

Districts notified KSDE who the building level Administrators were for each kindergarten building during initial implementation of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot. They have been responsible for working with the ASQ Online system, setting up building level users, and running reports from data collected. This contact person could be the building level principal, a Kindergarten teacher, testing coordinator, or other staff designated by the district. Please check with the building level principal to identify who the administrator is for the building. Districts submit a District Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) Coordinator’s contact information in the KSDE Directory Updates authenticated application at the beginning of the school year.

If your district does not have an active Program Administrator, please email Amy Rzadczynski for assistance: arzadczynski@ksde.org.

 

What are we (as educators) doing with the results?

ASQ Online provides several reports that allow programs to interpret and analyze data at the child, classroom, school, and district level. A good first step is to consider each building’s participation rate for incoming kindergarten students and identify opportunities to engage families during the transition into kindergarten.

Data can be used to help schools:

  • Design environment and instruction to meet the needs of incoming kindergartners.
  • Support aligned teaching practice and program planning.
  • Support personalized instruction.
  • Promote positive teacher–parent relationships.

At the state level, this data will provide a snapshot of Kansas kindergartners’ development and help inform opportunities to improve Kindergarten readiness statewide.

Also, educators are encouraged to engage families using the suggested activities provided.

ADMINISTRATION QUESTIONS

What strategies have Kansas schools used to successfully administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot?

Schools have shared the following ideas that others might consider:

  • Send a letter home to families introducing the purpose of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot initiative and developmental screenings. The resources available on the https://agesandstages.com/ks site include template letters and a message from KSDE Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson. Promote the initiative, activities and resources using other school communications channels (website, social media, etc.).
  • Hosting a Kindergarten Readiness event (either during the day, evening or weekend) to invite families to visit the school building and complete the questionnaires.
    • This might include other activities to support the transition into kindergarten, like touring classrooms and meeting teachers.
    • Schools might set up a series of stations with materials and staff to assist families in completing each item of the questionnaire.
    • Schools might incorporate screenings provided by other partners (like health or dental screenings) into this event.
    • Think creatively about how to staff this event. High School Family & Consumer Science students might provide fun activities for young students while parents complete ASQ:SE-2. Preschool teaching staff might be friendly faces to help support students in this transition. Parents or caregivers who recently had a child attend kindergarten, or current kindergarteners and early elementary students, may be able to share experiences and connect with peers.
  • Use ASQ Online for an in-person event so that parents and caregivers can receive the results right when they finish completing the tool. One week later, discuss the results at one-on-one family meetings prior to the start of school.
  • Schools that are unable to host in-person events for incoming students in Spring 2022 can review the resources related to Using ASQ in a Virtual Environment.
  • Follow up individually with families who are unable to attend this event. Provide the online URL or paper questionnaire for completion, and then offer to schedule either an appointment at the school building or a home visit.
  • Engage with other partners in the community who may be using ASQ (for example, parent educators, health providers and other early childhood care and education providers) and encourage them to provide a paper copy of the completed questionnaire to family members.
  • Host a Parent Data Night with private time to discuss the results and share resources or learning activities.
  • Share the ASQ Learning Activities with families during follow-up.
  • Maximize opportunities to use ASQ in serving children birth through kindergarten entry, so that families are familiar with the tool prior to completing it for the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot.
  • Allow time for teachers review data in professional learning communities (PLCs), and use the data as a district to determine, which classrooms will receive additional support (for example, paraprofessionals) and plan professional development. A community might use this data with partners to inform parent education and early childhood programming.

For more ideas related to administering ASQ, review the article: “6 tips for stress-free fall screenings” or the video “ASQ – Kindergarten: Gathering and Sharing Data” on the Kansas Teaching and Leading Project website. If you have other ideas you’d like to share with your peers, please email them to Amy Rzadczynski: arzadczynski@ksde.org. You might also review the transition into kindergarten resources posted to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund Kindergarten Readiness/Transitions webpage.

 

Should children with IEPs be given ASQ-3 and/or ASQ:SE-2?

Every family has the opportunity to participate in the screening. It is family choice if they participate by completing ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2, but it is not required. If a child is already receiving special education services, it may not be appropriate to complete the screening. If you believe completing ASQs would be inappropriate or not a positive, relationship-building experience for the parent, collaborate with your Special Education team and document as a team your rationale for exempting this child/family from the screening process. On a child’s profile page, select “Determined screening was inappropriate” under “Reason for not participating.” Completing ASQ is a parent’s choice.

 

What about ASQ results from another state?

ASQ Online information can only be transferred from district to district within the state. Contact Amy Rzadczynski (arzadczynski@ksde.org) to request transfers.

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS

What is required for state preschool programs?

Preschool programs receiving funding from the Preschool-Aged At-Risk (State Pre-K 4 Year Old At-Risk) program and the Kansas Preschool Pilot are required to ensure that each child receives a developmental screening using an evidence-based screening tool while they participate in the preschool program. The program must share results with the child’s family.

Preschool programs may determine whether children receive screenings during enrollment prior to the start of the school year, at the beginning of the school year, or upon enrollment of students who enroll after the beginning of the school year.

KSDE recommends but does not require that the preschool program select  ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 developmental and social-emotional screening tools for preschool-aged students.

Preschool programs that utilize ASQ are not required to enter the results of the screenings in ASQ Online or report the results to KSDE.

 

Can accredited schools screen students younger than kindergarten-age?

Yes. Accredited schools (public and private) participating in the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot can now use the same ASQ Online system to screen any child birth through kindergarten entry, in accordance with the ASQ photocopy release. Each branch office or physical site that will be using the ASQ system must purchase its own set of original ASQ questionnaires; master forms cannot be shared among sites. Kansas state agencies may purchase Starter Kits for home-based programs and small programs to increase access to commercially-available ASQ questionnaires in additional languages and to screen children who may be spread out in small numbers across sites. For these programs, the requirement of one (1) Starter Kit per Location is waived, but at least one (1) kit must be purchased for each 100 children served annually.

IT/SUPPORT/IMPORTING DATA

We do a lot of data collection for the state. Is there a district site for us to access all the data?

If you have administrators that need access to multiple schools, please email Amy Rzadczynski: arzadczynski@ksde.org. We would be glad to set up multi-building access.

 

What do IT Directors need to know to export student information from PowerSchool, Skyward and other student school systems into ASQ Online?

Brookes Publishing created a document for importing student data from a variety of systems. Please see the instructions.

 

Who pays for the computer-generated reports?

The fee of $.35 per screen will be charged when the screening is finalized. KSDE will pay for ASQ Online subscriptions and for the per-screening fees. There are no fees associated with the computer-generated reports that compile data for the classroom teachers or administrators (i.e., Screening Scores, Screening Results, and Aggregate Results).

 

Can we use the child ID for ASQ Online from PowerSchool?

ASQ Online automatically generates an identifier for each child.

 

Which ID number are we supposed to use for the children in ASQ Online?

ASQ Online automatically generates an identifier for each child.

 

Is there a way to transfer online data from one school and/or district to another? What if a student moves in after the September 20 Count Day?

Yes, ASQ Online allows the ability for data to be transferred from one school/district to another. Send the request to arzadczynski@ksde.org. Districts may determine locally whether they will screen children who enroll after the September 20 Count Day.

 

If I purchase ASQ do we automatically get the online version as well?

Yes, KSDE purchased a subscription to ASQ Online. After you purchase the required ASQ products (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 Starter Kits), you will find a keycode on the inside flap of each box. This keycode allows access to the questionnaires once the Program Administrator has logged in and registered you as a provider.

 

How does one get log-in information?

Each building has users who are Program Administrators. Program Administrators are responsible for creating accounts for each building’s new users. Districts submit a District Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) Coordinator’s contact information in the KSDE Directory Updates authenticated application at the beginning of the school year. The short how-to video “How to Add Users (User Roles and Permissions)” provides instructions for adding new users.

If your district does not have an active Program Administrator, please email Amy Rzadczynski for assistance: arzadczynski@ksde.org.

 

Can a Co-Op Administrator be added for a specific district and the appropriate classrooms even if the Program Administrators are from different districts?

Contact arzadczynski@ksde.org if you require access to multiple programs. In all instances, permission will be required from the districts involved.

ASQ ONLINE

We will be hosting a districtwide kindergarten roundup/orientation event, with children and families who will attend different school buildings. We will be using Family Access. How should we handle this in ASQ Online?

You will want to collect the Family Access URLs for each school building and have the families select the appropriate school building. If your district has a website, you can post the school names and link to the appropriate Family Access page. An example of a district that does this is Geary County USD 475.

If you are unable to post the Family Access URLs on a website, you can create a word document or pdf that contains links to Family Access for each school building.

 

How many times can you enter a screening?

For the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot, only two screenings per child will need to be complete: one ASQ-3 screening and one ASQ:SE-2 screening. You may receive an additional completed questionnaire from an additional caregiver, such as a grandparent or divorced parent; this may also be entered as an additional screening for the same child. Please note that there is a fee of $.35 for each finalized screening that is accepted, which is paid by the Kansas State Department of Education.

 

If we deleted a completed screening but made an error, is there another charge?

Yes, KSDE will incur fees for all screenings accepted as final, even if the screens are later deleted.

 

How will we get contact info for ASQ Online support at Brookes?

ASQ Online has a built-in Help component which includes a variety of tutorials. If you require additional assistance, call the Technical Assistance line 1-866-404-9853 or send an email through https://www.asqonline.com/support. Technical Support is available 24/7.

 

Do Kindergarten teachers have to do all of the online entries?

Many ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires will be entered through ASQ Online Family Access by the parents. The data is loaded directly into the ASQ Online system. Some parents may not be able to use ASQ Online and may choose to complete the paper questionnaire. In the case of the latter, the teacher or other assigned staff will enter data from the paper questionnaire into ASQ Online using either the short form or the long form. KSDE recommends Kindergarten teachers enter data for their students as they design environments and instruction to meet the needs of incoming Kindergarten students.

 

Can we practice using ASQ Online when training teachers?

If you have new teachers that would like to practice using ASQ Online, we can provide access to a demo program, where practice screens can be entered. Contact the Brookes Implementation Team for more information.

 

Does online access work on a phone or tablet?

Yes, ASQ Online can be accessed via a phone or tablet. The Family Access component has been optimized to be easily used on a phone or tablet.

 

For parents who can’t read will there be audio support provided by the state for parents to use?

Support for these families will need to be provided at a district or building level.

 

If the screening is completed using the Spanish questionnaires, can the answers and scores be printed out in English?

ASQ Online allows users to toggle between English and Spanish versions of the questionnaires and information summary sheets. However, any comments/written responses provided by the caregiver are not translated from Spanish to English.

 

Are there activity suggestions for ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 in ASQ Online?

Yes, if your school has purchased the ASQ-3 Learning Activities and ASQ:SE-2 Learning Activities & More books and entered the keycodes into the system, the activities will be available to you in ASQ Online.

RESCREENING

Do we rescreen later in the year?

Rescreening decisions will be made at a District level; however, it is not required for the KSDE Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot.

 

Will parents be able to go on later to do the screening again or only one time to login and submit?

The ASQ Online screening will take approximately 15–20 minutes to complete for each ASQ tool (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2). Parents will need to submit each screening questionnaire in one sitting, as there is not a save option during the online entry. They will not be able to save a screening in progress and return later. They may visit the website to complete ASQ-3 and then return at a later time to complete ASQ:SE-2.

PARENT CONSENT

What do we do if parent(s) refuse to participate? Is there a way for them to opt out?

Although we would like for the parents to complete the screening tools, a parent may decide not to participate or decide not to have data shared with the state. Teachers should document the parent’s decision to opt out by selecting “Parent/Caregiver opted out of participating” under “Reason for not participating” on a child’s profile page in ASQ Online. Completing ASQ is a parent’s choice.

Teachers should not complete a screening in lieu of parent response.

 

Is there a parent consent form?

Parent consent is obtained when the parent enters data into ASQ Online. If your program is administering the paper/pencil version of the questionnaires, you should print out a parent consent form from the Screening Management section of ASQ Online.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Do public schools administer ASQ for private schools in their geographic area, or are they responsible for this for their Kindergarten students?

Individual buildings are responsible to provide access to parents to utilize the ASQ Online system. All accredited schools are required to administer ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 for incoming kindergarten students enrolled in their school.

 

For private schools that do not have Skyward, etc., what/how is data uploaded?

If there is a system you currently use for student data, please use the upload feature provided, here. Alternatively, you will need to enter each child’s profile into the ASQ Online system.

SHARING RESULTS WITH PARENTS AND NEXT STEPS

When should they share the results with parents?

Schools that administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) before the regular window opens July 1 agree that they will accept the screening results in ASQ Online and follow up with the family within two weeks of completing ASQ to provide results and learning activities.

For all other schools, when to share results with parents is a local decision. However, parents will expect to hear about results, so schools should provide follow-up information in a timely manner. Recommendations include:

  • Share results with parents in face-to-face conversation (Don’t hand out score report).
  • Explain results using language such as above cutoffs, close to cutoffs, and below cutoffs
  • Highlight what the child does well and focus on positives first.
  • Be sensitive and positive. This is an opportunity to build teacher–parent relationships.
  • Examine concerns together.
  • Talk about next steps of development.

 

What should I do if a student is below the cutoff in ASQ-3 or above the cutoff in ASQ:SE-2?

  • Embed opportunities into meaningful routines across the daily schedule with many opportunities for practice.
  • Provide small group, targeted instruction for the student.
  • Access ASQ-3 Learning Activities or ASQ:SE-2 Learning Activities & More.
  • Check the ASQ site for ideas to address specific skill deficits. Archives of ASQ newsletters are available.
  • Provide direct instruction targeting the area of concern while monitoring progress with an evidence-based progress monitoring tool.
  • Check online resource sites:
  • Collaborate with other early childhood staff members within the school building.
  • Discuss curriculum options and specific interventions to address skill deficits with the district curriculum coordinator, instructional coach or the Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) team.
  • If a student shows little or no gains despite targeted interventions implemented with fidelity over time, refer to building Student Improvement Team (SIT).

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Why do users in Kansas have access to a 72 month ASQ-3 questionnaire when users in other states do not?

Because at the start of Kindergarten some children are older than the 66-month upper age limit of the commercially available ASQ-3 Questionnaires, KSDE has licensed the right to use the 72-month questionnaire which will be available to all users upon publication of the next edition of ASQ.

 

What do I do for children who are older than 77 months and 30 days?

The questionnaire ends at 77 months and 30 days, so the system will not allow for a questionnaire to be completed if a child is older than that. Teachers should select “Child older than age cutoff” under “Reason for not participating” on a child’s profile page in ASQ Online. Completing ASQ is a parent’s choice.

 

Is the expectation that all students will go to Kindergarten? May kinder-prep/transitional Kindergarten be a follow-up action recommended? What can be done for students who are not ready?

Regular kindergarten classrooms are expected to be ready to meet the needs of all incoming kindergarteners, The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program recognizes district success in the outcome measures Kansans told us they value, including Kindergarten Readiness. In order to be eligible for recognition in this area, a district must be in compliance with the following: All families of children who are age-eligible for kindergarten (5 years old on or before Aug. 31) are encouraged to enroll their children in kindergarten. All children are welcomed – as they are – into heterogeneous kindergarten settings; they are not segregated into extra-year programs prior to or following regular kindergarten.

Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) data is not a gatekeeping tool and should not be used to keep students out of Kindergarten. Per Kansas law (K.S.A. 72-3118), the only requirement for entry into kindergarten is that a child be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 of the current school year (unless a child has previously attended kindergarten in another state).

Each district has policies and procedures in place for determining tiered interventions and referral to special education. Teachers and teams should continue to follow those processes for all students. ASQ results are one piece of information that may be included in the data collected for a special education evaluation but, by itself, is not enough to move forward with an evaluation.

View the Kindergarten Readiness Resources Fact Sheet for additional information.

 

Can administrators print a screening that comes from Family Access before rejecting it?

No. Program Administrators must accept a screening submitted through Family Access in order to print it. Program Administrators can review the number of questions that were answered, but cannot see actual data before accepting or rejecting the screening.

 

Who do you contact for questions?

For simple questions related to the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (for example, resetting a password to ASQ Online), contact Brookes Technical Support, or call 1-866-404-9853.

For more specific questions (for example, setting up ASQ Online Family Access links), contact the Brookes Implementation Team.

PreK-12 school staff with questions for KSDE can email Amy Rzadczynski: arzadczynski@ksde.org

Early childhood care and education providers with questions about statewide expansion can email Erica Figueroa: erica.l.figueroa34@ku.edu

STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF ASQ ONLINE: COMMUNITY ACCESS

 What is the Statewide Expansion ASQ Online: Community Access system?

Kansas has worked for several years to standardize developmental and social-emotional screening for children birth through kindergarten entry using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®. Ages & Stages Questionnaires are brief, parent-completed tools that help to identify if a child may be at risk for developmental or social-emotional delay. Ages & Stages Questionnaires can be a utilized as a tool to connect children to relevant supports and services to support healthy development. Historically, programs across the state have had to figure out how to access ASQ Online independently. Now, with funding from the Preschool Development Grant – Renewal, we are able to provide statewide access to the ASQ Online system to improve coordination and reach more families!

Definitions:

  • ASQ Online: a web-based system for ASQ, offering online data management, questionnaire completion by hand or through the internet.
  • ASQ Hub: an account for bigger organizations that supports de-identified data reporting for linked ASQ Enterprise accounts.
  • ASQ Enterprise: an online data management system for the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2), that allows communities with multiple partners to create individual programs in the system. The Kansas State Department of Education administers an ASQ Enterprise account for school districts and accredited private schools as part of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot initiative.
  • Part C Network: local early intervention programs also referred to as Infant-Toddler Services or tiny-k Programs that will serve as the community ASQ Enterprise Account Administrators.
  • Program: each community partner (each brick-and-mortar building/site in the ASQ structure) that will utilize the ASQ Online system that connects to the community ASQ Enterprise Account.

 

What does the Statewide ASQ Online system consist of?

  • One statewide Hub account, administered by KSDE
  • An Enterprise account administered by KSDE to support the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot initiative
  • 30 geographic-based community ASQ Enterprise Accounts that will be administered by Part C Networks.

 

How can my program join the Community Access potion of the Statewide ASQ Online Expansion?

 

How do I know who my local Community ASQ Enterprise account administrator is?

A map of Account Administrators can be found here.

 

How does a program benefit from joining their local Community ASQ Enterprise account?

  • Save time and capacity with the system’s automated features
  • Screen more children with the ability to screen online and through paper forms
  • Screen children virtually through online questionnaires
  • ASQ Online account subscription and per-screening costs free to programs
  • Reduced price on developmental andsocial-emotional screening tools
  • Case management and data organization features provided through the online system
  • Free training on screening tools and free implementation support
  • ASQ Online system works for questionnaires in English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Vietnamese, and Chinese

 

Who can join a local Community ASQ Enterprise account?

Community partners that are providing or may want to start providing children’s developmental screenings to the children they serve are welcome and encouraged to join a local community ASQ Enterprise account. Community partners could include medical providers, health departments, mental health providers, home- and center-based child care facilities, home visiting programs, WIC offices, Part B providers, Early Childhood Block Grantees, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, and others.

 

Is there a fee involved for programs that want to join?

There is NO COST to join the local community ASQ enterprise account; however each physical site (community partner program) will need starter kits to administer the ASQ screening tools. Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) each have a starter kit that will need to be purchased. Organizations that already have a kit can utilize the keycode that is associated with their current kit at no additional cost. English ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 starter kits are available with a Kansas pricing discount for $265.00 each using the discount code information available here. Lower volume programs can purchase a kit together as long as 100 children or less are being served. If this is a cost barrier, please apply for financial assistance through Help Me Grow Kansas: https://helpmegrowks.org/asq-kits/. If interested in the cost of questionnaires in other languages, please inquire.

 

What are the responsibilities of a program that joins their community ASQ Enterprise account?

Programs who join a Community ASQ Enterprise account will need to complete an ASQ Enterprise User Agreement which details the responsibilities of programs joining the account. Some of the program responsibilities outlined in this agreement are the following:

  • Gain parental consent to screen by utilizing the Statewide ASQ Online system screening consent form. (Parental Consent Form in English; Parental Consent Form in Spanish
  • Programs are responsible for follow-up with parents or caregivers on any developmental screening they complete.
  • If a referral to early intervention services or preschool special education services is needed based on the results of the ASQ screen, programs must send proper referrals through previously established referral avenues (Phone, Integrated Referral and Intake System (IRIS), Fax) to the local Part C network for infants and toddlers under the age of three or to the local elementary school for children three years of age and older.
  • Ensure they are operating within the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) compliance standards.

 

What technical assistance, training and supports are available?

A monthly training will be available on administration and use of the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 screening tools. Find upcoming trainings on the KSDE TASN website.

The Statewide ASQ Online System website (https://agesandstages.com/ks/) includes FAQs, quick-reference guides, online training modules and “how-to “videos describing how to implement ASQ.

The Kansas State Department of Education contracts with Brookes Publishing to provide ASQ Online technical and implementation support. Kansas users can access this support by phone (1-866-404-9853), by filling out the ASQ Online Technical Support Form or by emailing implementation@brookespublishing.com.

 

How can you share a child’s results between programs?

The easiest way to share results is to empower parents with their child’s developmental health information. This allows parents to control who has access to their child’s data. A few resources to consider:

  • Teacher and Student

    What ASQ Users are Saying

    “We chose ASQ because it is easy to do, low cost, culturally sensitive, and it meets our purpose of basic screening for our children’s development. Our infant teachers base their curriculum on each individual child based on the ASQ.”

    Kathy Bostic, Program Supervisor, Pinehurst Child Care Center