Utah State Preschool Study
We have been hired by the Utah State Board of Education to conduct a preschool evaluation. Participating children will complete a school readiness assessment that covers topic areas such as word sounds, letters, shapes, and numbers.
Your child will be working with an experienced test administrator in a private room at a location near you, and parents or legal guardians are present during the entire session. Parents will be required to fill out a survey and stay while the child is being tested. If you have any questions about the study that have not been covered in our “Common Questions” section below, please contact Alyse Beni at 310-473-8367 ext. 3.
Common Questions
Why is it important to participate?
The study helps the state understand how well high-quality preschool programs are preparing students for school in order to make better decisions about resource allocation.
I’m busy throughout the day, how long will the testing take?
We’re willing to work around your schedule and the test will only take 30 minutes of your time.
How did you get my contact information?
We received your contact info from the Waterford Institute, makers of UPSTART. As part of your participation with UPSTART, you signed a form stating that your contact information can be shared with the evaluator of the UPSTART program.
Can I see the results from my child’s assessment?
The study and its instruments are designed to identify group differences, and we do not report or share individual children’s test scores. However, you are welcome to observe your child taking the test.
My child is shy/reluctant to talk to strangers, can my child still participate?
Our trained assessors are used to meeting the needs of a wide variety of students and are prepared to use their expertise in education to make sure your child is as comfortable as possible during the testing process.
Will my child’s testing data be secure?
All test data will be kept confidential, no names or identifying information will be used, and parents are present during the entire testing process.
Will there be other dates available?
If you can’t make any of the available days/times, please let us know and we will do our best to find a day/time that will work with your schedule.
I can’t make the testing appointment. Can someone else take my child to the testing?
A parent or legal guardian MUST attend the testing appointment with their child to give consent to participate and complete a survey.
My friend has a preschool child. Can they participate?
Currently, we are only testing children who are registered to use the UPSTART school readiness program.