What is the Early Learning Assessment (ELA)?                      

Ohio’s Early Learning Assessment (ELA) is a tool for teachers of preschool age children to learn about the current level of each child’s skills, knowledge and behaviors in the areas of Social Foundations, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Well-Being and Motor Development, as well as the Fine Arts.

This assessment will require teachers to observe children during the natural course of the child’s day. The ELA is a continuous process of knowing about the child’s learning as the learning is happening throughout the year. Children will not complete test questions or provide test answers. The ELA is an ongoing process of observations performed by the teacher to gather information on how a child is developing over time. This process allows the teacher to form an understanding of the child’s learning and development that will assist them in planning future learning opportunities.

Teachers will be able to share a report with families that explains their findings and provide suggestions on activities families can do at home to continue to support children’s growth and development.

More information on the ELA can be found here.

What is the KRA?                                                                              

At the beginning of each school year, children in public school kindergarten programs will be assessed using Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. This assessment includes ways for teachers to measure a child’s readiness for engaging with instruction aligned to the kindergarten standards. 

• Social Foundations- including social and emotional development, and approaches toward learning
• Mathematics 
• Language and Literacy 
• Physical Well-being and Motor Development

Teachers begin administering the KRA to kindergarten students starting the first day of school or the first day that schools and districts take attendance, with the administration ending on Nov. 1. Based on the budget bill that passed on June 30, public districts may administer the selected response and performance task items of the KRA up to two weeks prior to the first day of the school year. Know that teachers should administer the observational items of the KRA once children are engaging in regular classroom routines. Please refer to the Teacher Administration Manual for further guidance regarding item types. 

More information about the KRA can be found here. 

KRA and Third Grade Reading Guarantee:

The Language and Literacy portion of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment can be used to meet the reading diagnostic assessment requirement of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. To meet the diagnostic requirement, teachers must complete the Language and Literacy portion by Nov. 1.