ASQ ONLINE SYSTEM FOR KANSAS: FAQS

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

Why is the state of Kansas focusing on Kindergarten readiness?

The first five years of a child’s life are an incredible opportunity to set a positive direction. Engaging with families to better understand children’s development prepares children, families and schools for a successful start to the kindergarten year. To advance kindergarten readiness, all Kansas elementary schools are partnering with families of incoming kindergarten students to collect kindergarten-entry data.

The Kansas State Board of Education sets the Kansans Can vision for education in Kansas: Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. Education leaders engaged with thousands of Kansans to shape this vision and identify kindergarten readiness one of five key outcomes to measure progress. Kansas accreditation regulations now require each education system seeking accreditation to have in place a method of data collection approved by the State Board for collecting kindergarten-entry data.

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 Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) and 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.

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN

What are schools required to do?

All accredited schools are required to partner with families to complete both the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 for all incoming kindergarten students prior to September Count Day. If families and schools determine that screening is inappropriate for a particular child, or if families choose to opt out, schools will document that information in the ASQ Online system.

Refer to the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Fact Sheet for key dates and deadlines.

Schools may begin the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot on March 1. Consider the following expectations:

• ASQ data will not 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 follow up with families within 2 weeks of receiving completed screenings. Timely follow-up ensures information shared by families is relevant and demonstrates to families that their time is valuable.
• The district will attempt to contact families who complete the ASQ during the springtime but who do not enroll/attend the district at the start of the school year so that KSDE can assist in transferring screenings to the correct new school.
• A child’s kindergarten teacher will receive ASQ data prior to the first day of school.

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

For the purposes of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot, KSDE will only use data on screenings completed on or before the September 20 Count Day and entered into ASQ Online on or before the deadline for data entry. Participation rates will be calculated by comparing the number of students who participated to the number of students reported as enrolled on the September 20 Count Day. 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 orientation/roundup?

Yes. See the question “What are schools required to do?” above.

Are schools required to rescreen at the end of the year?

No. However, if a child scores in the monitoring zone on ASQ-3 or ASQ:SE-2, the teacher may choose to re-administer the questionnaire after 2-3 months. And 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.

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

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

Yes, the Kansas State Department of Education contract with Brookes Publishing allows all Kansas schools and other community-based organizations access to the ASQ Online system.

Schools and early childhood programs 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.

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.

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 designate at least one District Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) Coordinator in the KSDE Directory Updates authenticated application at the beginning of the school year. KSDE uses this list of district-designated Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) Coordinators to send out communications each school year.

What is required for state preschool programs?

Preschool programs receiving funding from the Preschool-Aged At-Risk program and the Kansas Preschool Pilot are required to ensure that each child receives a developmental screening using a valid, reliable 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 at any point during the year, 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.

ADMINISTRATION WINDOW

When is the administration window?

Schools may begin the 2025-2026 Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot March 1, 2025. Consider the following expectations:

September 20 falls on a weekend in in 2025, so Count Day is September 22. All schools must administer the ASQ to incoming kindergarten students by September 22, 2025. All data (including paper screenings and pending Family Access screenings) must be entered into ASQ Online by September 26, 2025.

If our district administers the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool this spring, and we also use ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 as our developmental screening for Preschool-Aged At-Risk and Kansas Preschool Pilot, would parents only complete the questionnaires once between April 1 and September 20?

Districts operating approved Preschool-Aged At-Risk programs are required to ensure that each child receives a developmental screening using an evidence-based screening tool. The program must share results with the child’s family. Programs may determine whether children receive screenings prior to the start of the school year or once school begins. Students who enroll after the beginning of the school year must receive screening within 90 days of enrollment. These preschool developmental screenings should occur early in the program year, so that schools may identify any potential areas of delay.

Districts may choose to rescreen preschool students in the springtime. If that is the case, it is possible that families could complete one screening in the springtime of the preschool year that could also serve as the screening used for the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot. Schools should refer to the expectations for completing the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot in the springtime, including timely follow-up with families and sharing results with the child’s kindergarten teacher.

What provider should we assign the child to in ASQ Online?

With Family Access, Administrators have the ability to accept a screening without immediately assigning to a provider. Administrators should select the "Accept as a new child profile without assigning to a provider" option and click the Process button.

When the Administrator is ready to assign the child to a teacher, they will return to the Family Access page and select the link, "There are family access screenings to assign". From this page, Administrators can select the teacher from the dropdown menu and click "Assign".

School screening in the springtime should decide who will be responsible for reviewing ASQ results and following up with families within 2 weeks of families completing the questionnaires. This may be a staff member other than the person who will be the child’s kindergarten teacher.

What about late enrollments?

The Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot window closes on Count Day (Sept. 20). Schools are not required to administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot to students who enroll after Sept. 20, although they are welcome to use the tool for that purpose. Participation rates will be calculated by comparing the number of students who participated to the number of students reported as enrolled on Sept. 20.

ADMINISTRATION QUESTIONS

What strategies have Kansas schools used to successfully administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot and increase parent participation?

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.).
• Host 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.
• 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.
• 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 Stacy Clarke: [email protected].

Teachers should not complete a screening in lieu of parent response. 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. If a family chooses to complete the ASQ but not share data with the state, the questionnaires should be completed on paper (not via Family Access) and the results should not be entered into the ASQ Online system.

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

This is a good opportunity to reflect on how your school introduces the ASQ to families. The 2025 Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot fact sheet includes tips for introducing ASQ that may be helpful.

When KSDE calculates district participation rates, opting out is counted as not completing the questionnaire. If the parent and teacher together determine that screening using the ASQ would be inappropriate (for example, if a child already has an IEP in place and has already been assessed in all the domains screened by the ASQ), or if the child is older than 77 months and 30 days (outside the age range for the questionnaires), then the child is not included in the denominator when calculating participation rates.

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.

When should we share the results with parents?

Schools that administer the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (ASQ) in the spring agree that they will share results with parents in a face-to-face conversation (Don’t hand out score report). Recommendations include:

• 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.