for 2015...brampton, 46% living in mississauga and 5% living in caledon. • the characteristics of...

School Readiness in Peel

Summary of

Early Development Instrument Results

for 2015

About this Report

This report describes the Early Development Instrument (EDI) results for 2007, 2010 and 2015 for Peel region. It is intended to provide greater insight for those involved in early education regarding the needs of students upon school entry.

The EDI is a population-based measure used to assess children’s skills on five developmental domains related to school readiness. Examining results by these domains helps identify developmental strengths and needs within a population of Senior Kindergarten children.

Only summary results for Peel region, which includes the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the Town of Caledon, are provided in this report. For more detailed results including EDI data tables and maps by smaller geographic areas in Peel, please visit the Early Years Data and Resources website at http://opendata.peelregion.ca/data-categories/forecasts-and-performance-indicators/early-development-instrument-(2015).aspx.

Report Highlights • Of the 14,567 valid EDI cases in Peel

for 2015, 49% were children living in Brampton, 46% living in Mississauga and 5% living in Caledon.

• The characteristics of children assessed in 2015 were similar to those assessed in 2007 and 2010. Approximately 51% were boys and almost all students (93%) attended Junior Kindergarten. The mean age of children assessed was 5.7 years.

• Approximately one-third (30%) of children in Peel were classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on one or more EDI domains in 2015. This is significantly lower when compared to 2007.

• In 2015, the percentage of children in Peel classified as ‘On Track’ has increased for the ‘Language and Cognitive Development’ and ‘Communication Skills and General Knowledge’ domains compared to 2007 and 2010.

http://opendata.peelregion.ca/data-categories/forecasts-and-performance-indicators/early-development-instrument-(2015).aspx


1

Table of Contents

2 About the Early Development Instrument

4 Profile of Peel’s Children

5 Characteristics of Children Assessed by the EDI

6 Distribution of Scores on the EDI Domains

8 Physical Health and Well-Being

10 Social Competence

12 Emotional Maturity

14 Language and Cognitive Development

17 Communication Skills and General Knowledge

20 Vulnerability on the EDI

21 Acknowledgements

References


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About the Early Development Instrument (EDI)

What is the EDI?

The EDI was developed to assess a child’s level of development before their first year of schooling. Drs. Dan Offord and Magdalena Janus from the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University created what was first termed the ‘School Readiness to Learn Tool’ in 1998. The questionnaire was later renamed ‘The Early Development Instrument: A Population-Based Measure for Communities’.

The EDI assesses how well prepared children are to meet school demands. It is a sound and valid tool to report on populations of children in different communities to predict how they will fare in elementary school. It was designed to measure specific outcomes of early development that are particularly relevant in determining children’s readiness to learn at school.1

All children are born ready to learn, but not all children arrive at school ready to learn. School readiness focuses on a child’s ability to meet the demands of school. Such expectations include being able to hold a pencil, listen to the teacher, remember and follow rules.1

1 Janus M, Brinkman S, Duku E, Hertzman C, Santos R, Sayers M, Schroeder J, Walsh C. The Early Development Instrument: A Population-based Measure for Communities. A Handbook on Development, Properties and Use.

Offord Centre for Child Studies: 2007

The EDI measures school readiness on FIVE developmental domains:

Physical health and well-being 1

Emotional maturity3

Language and cognitive development4

Communication skills and general knowledge5

Social competence2


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How often is the EDI conducted?

The EDI was first implemented in Peel in 2004 and operates in three-year cycles. It is completed by the teacher for every student in the Senior Kindergarten classroom in publicly funded schools. To ensure that teachers have an opportunity to interact and become familiar with students in their classes, the EDI is completed in the second half of the school year. In 2015, the Peel EDI questionnaires were completed, and submitted electronically for the first time.

How are EDI data analyzed?

Each EDI domain is scored from zero to 10 with scores closer to 10 indicating more advanced levels of school readiness. The EDI is a relative measure; the results show how a group of children in an area are doing relative to other children in the community or in Peel.

In assessing overall school readiness, cut-points were developed based on scores captured from all Ontario communities that participated in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 EDI data collection. These cut-points are used to identify the number and per cent of children who are ‘Vulnerable,’ ‘At Risk’ or are ‘On Track’ for school on one or more of the EDI domains. For this report, the cut-points have been used to compare the 2007, 2010 and 2015 EDI scores. Due to changes made to the EDI questionnaire in 2005, the Peel EDI data are not included in this report.

Since the EDI is a population-based measure, individual results are always combined to a group level. EDI results can be reported for groups of children (e.g., by sex and attendance in preschool) and for geographic areas.1 The child’s postal code is used to group data at a geographic level. When reporting results, areas with less than 10 EDI cases are withheld or combined with other small areas that are geographically close and socioeconomically similar. This enables smaller areas to receive EDI results while maintaining confidentiality.

How are EDI data used?

EDI data are used in conjunction with other sources of information such as Census data, family information, and health and community measures to provide a more complete picture of the factors that can impact early child development.

It provides schools with the opportunity to reflect on the development of children as they enter school and plan for optimal school transition.

Its results can also be used to show areas of weakness in school readiness within communities to which programs and services can respond. Note that the EDI is not an evaluation of how well early years programs and services are being offered in a community.


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Totalchildren

0-6

Census*familieswith at

least onechild

54,920

113,390 52,750 4,570 56,005

1,296,814

361,975 145,350 17,245 199,380

523,911 59,460 713,443

58,470

Peel Brampton Caledon MississaugaTotalPopulation

25,460

27,290

2,210

2,360

27,240

28,825

Table 1

Total and Child Population,Peel in 2011

Profile of Peel’s Children

Peel is the second largest municipality in Ontario, and its

total population has grown 11.8% from 2006 to 2011.

From 2006 to 2011, Brampton’s population grew 20.8% (433,806 to 523,911)

Caledon’s grew 4.2% (57,050 to 59,460), and Mississauga’s grew 6.7%

(668,599 to 713,443).

Table 1 shows the population totals for the Region of Peel.

*Census family is defined as a married couple and the children, if any, of either or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either or both partners; or, a lone parent of any marital status with at least one child living in the same dwelling and that child or those children.


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girls

boys

13,369 13,656 14,567

6,86651.4%

6,502 48.6%

7,03251.5%

6,624 48.5%

7,36050.5%

12,257 94.7%

12,656 95.3%

13,42794.9%

7,207 49.5%

2007 2010 2015Survey Year

Children withvalid EDI

AttendedJunior

Kindergarten

Age in yearsMEAN

5.6 5.7 5.7

Table 2

Characteristics of Children Assessed on the EDI Peel, 2007, 2010, 2015

Characteristics of Children Assessed by the EDI

The characteristics of children assessed in the implementation of the

2015 EDI are similar to children from the 2007 and 2010 cycles.

Table 2 shows the characteristics of children assessed on the EDI

Peel, 2007, 2010 and 2015.

Source: Early Development Instrument, 2007, 2010, 2015. Ontario Ministry of Education and Offord Centre for Child Studies. Peel Public Health


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Distribution of Scores on the EDI Domains

To describe readiness for schools, EDI results for each domain were divided in three categories: ’Vulnerable,’ ‘At Risk,’ and ‘On Track.’ These groupings are used to classify cut-off points in terms of school readiness.

Vulnerable (≤ 10th percentile)*, At Risk (11th-25th percentile) *, and On Track (≥ 26th percentile) *

Vulnerable - This group includes children that have scored within the lowest category of the three groupings. These scores are all in the lowest 10th percentile when compared to the others in the analysis. Children that obtain a score within this category are identified as ‘Vulnerable’ in terms of school readiness across the five measured domains.

At Risk – This group includes children that have scored within the low-to-mid category of the three groupings. These scores are all between the 11th and 25th percentile when compared to the others in the analysis. Children that obtain a score within this category are identified as ‘At Risk’ in terms of school readiness across the five measured domains.

On Track – This group includes children that have scored within the highest category of the three groupings. These scores are all in the 26th percentile and higher when compared to the others in the analysis. Children that obtain a score within this category are identified as ‘On Track’ in terms of school readiness across the five measured domains.

*Percentiles: All EDI scores in a domain are listed from lowest to highest. These scores are then grouped into one hundred categories (called percentiles). EDI scores are then grouped into three categories comprising the 1st-10th, 1th-25th, and 26th-100th percentiles.

≤ 10th Percentile

Vulnerable

11th – 25thPercentile

At Risk

≥ 26thPercentile

On Track


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Interpreting the Distribution of EDI Scores

In any distribution of scores, a community is expected to have:

• 10% of children scoring at or below the 10th percentile (‘Vulnerable’)

• 15% scoring in the 11th – 25th percentile (‘At Risk’)

• 75% scoring in the 26th – 100th percentile (‘On Track’)

When interpreting the EDI scores, results from each of the five domains were compared to the expected distributions (as described above). The scores were then classified into one out of the three corresponding categories: ‘Vulnerable,’ ‘At Risk,’ or ‘On Track’ for each domain.

Some geographic areas may contain a higher percentage of children in the ‘Vulnerable’ category which may result in a lower percentage of children in the ‘On Track’ category for that domain; however, this is not always the case.

Conversely, some areas may be over-represented in both the ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘On Track’ categories. These locations or profiles may present a more challenging environment for the early years’ service providers trying to meet the wide range of needs for the children in their area.

The following arrows were used in tables and charts throughout this report to highlight statistically significant changes between testing periods 2015 and 2007 and/or 2010:

Significantly higher proportion in 2015 compared to 2007

Significantly higher proportion in 2015 compared to 2010

Significantly higher proportion in 2015 compared to both prior cycles

Significantly lower proportion in 2015 compared to 2007

Significantly lower proportion in 2015 compared to 2010

Significantly lower proportion in 2015 compared to both prior cycles


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Physical Health and Well-Being

To meet the task demands of school, children must come ready, fed and well-rested to start their day. They are able to look after their own needs with physical independence, and possess adequate fine motor skills. These skills are measured on the Physical Health and Well-Being domain.

Within the ‘Physical Health and Well-Being’ domain in 2015,

• All of Peel region had smaller ‘At Risk’ proportions than expected.

• Brampton, Caledon, and Mississauga had a higher proportion of children that were ‘On Track’ than expected.

• Brampton and Mississauga also had a higher proportion of children that were ‘Vulnerable’ than expected.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga are shown in Figure 1 and Table 3.

Figure 1

Physical Health and Well-Being Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2015

ExpectedDistribution

Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

10.0

15.0 4.5 80.5

15.4 4.6 80.0

15.1 4.7 80.2

9.4 3.1 87.9

15.0 75.0

Vulnerable At Risk On Track

Source: Early Development Instrument, 2007, 2010, 2015. Ontario Ministry of Education and Offord Centre for Child Studies. Peel Public Health.


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The proportion of vulnerable children in the ‘Physical Health and Well-Being’ domain increased in 2015 compared to previous years in Peel. Overall, Peel continues to have a high proportion of ‘On Track’ children (just over 80%) for this domain.

Source: Early Development Instrument, 2007, 2010, 2015. Ontario Ministry of Education and Offord Centre for Child Studies.

Peel Public Health. In Peel, there was a significantly higher proportion of children classified as vulnerable compared to 2010.

Year

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

Vulnerable (%) At Risk (%) On Track (%)

14.113.615.0

15.613.915.4

12.910.6 9.0

13.013.715.1

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

5.24.84.5

5.84.74.6

2.43.63.1

5.05.04.7

80.781.680.5

78.681.580.0

84.785.887.9

82.081.380.2

Table 3

Physical Health and Well-Being Domain: Percentageof Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015

Peel

• Create outdoor play areas• Offer accessible recreation programs in both urban and rural settings• Limit the amount of time spent watching TV and playing video games• Develop food security programs in places that are friendly to children

and families• Think about community safety (e.g., are there places for children to play

that are free of traffic, well-lit and within view of their home?)

HOW to IMPROVE ?

Physical Health and Well-being


10

Social Competence

The Social Competence domain provides an assessment of skills such as curiosity about the world, co-operation with others, and following rules. The skills measured on the Social Competence domain are ones that will serve as a foundation for school success through nurturing friendships, solving conflicts and functioning as a member of a group.

There was a slightly higher per cent of children in the ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘At Risk’ categories for the ‘Social Competence’ domain in Brampton and Mississauga than expected.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga on the ‘Social Competence’ domain are shown in Figure 2 and Table 4.

Figure 2

Social Competence Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2015


Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

10.0

11.2 16.5 72.3

10.8 17.3 71.9

11.8 15.9 72.3

8.7 15.0 76.3

15.0 75.0




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The vulnerability category distribution for the ‘Social Competence’ domain has remained stable over time in Peel.


Year

Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga


10.710.911.2

11.410.910.8

8.5 7.6 8.7

10.411.311.8

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

17.416.816.5

19.017.117.3

14.517.015.0

16.216.515.9

71.972.372.3

69.672.071.9

77.075.476.3

73.472.272.3

Table 4

Social Competence Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015

• Have children attend preschool, quality child care or other quality early learning programs

• Help children play games with peers that involve taking turns• Develop a daily routine that includes chores, play and quiet time• Offer parent education that emphasizes social and emotional

development

HOW to IMPROVE ?

Social Competence


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Emotional Maturity

Emotional maturity is characterized by a balance between a child’s curiosity about the world, an eagerness to try new experiences and some ability to reflect before acting.

Children who are fearful and reluctant to engage in new activities miss learning opportunities that are seized upon by children with a positive approach to life.

Children who are impulsive may fail to perceive all aspects of a task and may fail to fully understand it.

The combined percentage of children who were ‘Vulnerable’ or ‘At Risk’ in Peel for the ‘Emotional Maturity’ domain was very close to the expected distribution. There are no significant differences by municipality.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga on the ‘Emotional Maturity’ domain are shown in Figure 3 and Table 5.

Figure 3

Emotional Maturity Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2015


Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

10.0

10.9 14.0 75.1

10.7 13.5 75.8

11.1 14.4 74.5

9.8 15.2 75.0

15.0 75.0




13

The vulnerability category distribution for the ‘Social Competence’ domain has remained stable over time in Peel.

Year

Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga


9.910.510.8

10.511.010.7

10.0 7.6 9.8

9.310.411.1

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

15.414.814.0

16.314.8

13.5

12.516.215.2

14.914.614.4

74.774.675.1

73.274.275.8

77.576.275.0

75.875.074.5

Table 5

Emotional Maturity Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015


Peel and Brampton scored significantly lower in the ‘At Risk’ category in 2015 compared to 2007.

• Talk about feelings and encourage children to do the same• Limit access to negative, scary or violent media• Offer parent education that emphasizes social and emotional

development• Create environments for children to participate safely in free,

imaginative play

HOW to IMPROVE ?

Emotional Maturity


14

Language and Cognitive Development

Language development and early literacy skills are connected to how well children can communicate their needs, interact socially with others and describe their feelings.

On the EDI, language skills include a child’s vocabulary size, ability to name letters, and understand the component sounds within words. Cognitive skills involve the ways in which children perceive, organize and analyze information in their environment. Cognitive skills are the basis by which children retain and retrieve information while effectively exploring new experiences.

There was a lower proportion of children in the ‘Vulnerable’ category than expected in all municipalities. There was an over-representation of children who were ‘On Track’ in this domain across the Region of Peel.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga in the ‘Language and Cognitive Development’ domain are shown in Figure 4 and Table 6.

Figure 4

Language and Cognitive Development Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2015


Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

10.0

8.5 13.9 77.6

9.2 14.6 76.2

8.3 13.6 78.1

3.2 9.2 87.6

15.0 75.0




15

A significantly higher proportion of children were in the ‘On Track’ category in 2015 compared to 2010 and 2007, in Brampton and Mississauga. Since 2007, there has been a decrease in language and cognitive development vulnerabilities in children across Peel.

Year

Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga


13.210.8

8.5

15.611.2

9.2

7.45.03.2

11.610.9

8.3

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

17.215.2

13.9

19.016.1

14.6

10.8 9.7 9.2

16.314.9

13.6

69.674.0

77.6

65.472.7

76.2

81.885.387.6

72.174.2

78.1

Table 6

Language and Cognitive Development Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015


In Peel and Mississauga, there was a significantly lower percentage of children that were ‘Vulnerable’ compared to prior cycles, a significantly lower amount of children that were ‘At Risk’ compared to 2007, and a higher proportion of children that were ‘On Track ’compared to previous cycles.

In Brampton, there was a significantly lower percentage of children that were ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘At Risk’ compared to 2007, and a higher proportion of children that were ‘On Track’ compared to previous cycles.


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• Read to your child. Participate in a used book exchange program• Have children attend preschool, or other early learning programs• Play games with numbers as part of everyday life• Make early literacy initiatives a priority in your community• Develop family initiatives that support literacy development for

parents and children• Host a family literacy event at school

HOW to IMPROVE ?

Language and Cognitive Development


17

Communication Skills and General Knowledge

Children should understand verbal communications from other adults and children to effectively verbally communicate their thoughts and experiences in an understandable way. These communication skills help children adjust in a school setting and develop a capacity to read and write.

On the EDI, the ‘Communication Skills and General Knowledge’ domain assesses skills to communicate needs and wants in socially appropriate ways, symbolic use of language, storytelling, and age-appropriate knowledge about life and the world around them.

There was a slightly higher proportion of children in the ‘Vulnerable’ category than expected in Brampton and Mississauga. The combined proportion of children who were ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘At Risk’ was higher than 25% in all municipalities except Caledon.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga on the ‘Communication Skills and General Knowledge’ domain are shown in Figure 5 and Table 7.

Figure 5

Communication Skills and General Knowledge Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2015


Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

10.0

11.2 15.8 73.0

11.4 15.8 72.8

11.5 16.1 72.4

5.9 13.7 80.4

15.0 75.0




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The ‘Communication Skills and General Knowledge’ domain has improved significantly since 2007.

Year

Peel

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga


15.414.9

11.2

16.314.8

11.4

7.1 5.0 5.9

15.516.0

11.5

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

200720102015

16.718.5

15.8

17.818.5

15.8

12.921.3

13.7

16.218.316.1

67.966.6

73.0

65.966.7

72.8

80.173.7

80.4

68.365.7

72.4

Table 7

Communication Skills and General Knowledge Domain: Percentage of Children by EDI Category, Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015


In Peel and Brampton, the proportion of ‘Vulnerable’ children has decreased significantly when compared to both previous cycles.

In Peel and Brampton, the ‘At Risk’ category has also decreased significantly when compared to 2010.

In Peel and Brampton, the percentage of children that are ‘On Track’ has significantly improved when compared to both prior cycles.

In Caledon, the percentage of ‘At Risk’ children has decreased significantly compared to 2010. The proportion of children in the ‘On Track’ category has increased significantly compared to 2010.

In Mississauga, the percentage of ‘Vulnerable’ children has decreased significantly compared to both previous cycles. The ‘On Track’ proportion has significantly increased compared to both previous cycles.


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• Talk to your child. Ordinary activities are always a source of conversation

• Develop parent education that emphasizes the importance of communication

• Support English as a Second Language (ESL) programs that focus on learning and improving English skills among children for whom it is a second language

• Invite community speakers to interact with your students to promote inclusion and communication within and beyond the classroom

HOW to IMPROVE ?

Communication skills and general knowledge


20

Vulnerability on the EDI

Vulnerability represents the children who score at or below the 10th percentile based on the cut-point from the Ontario baseline population. Children who score below this cut-point within a given domain have more challenges in meeting the task demands of school, as measured on the EDI. A summary measure of vulnerability on one or more domain was calculated based on the five EDI domains.

Vulnerable on one or more EDI domains

This is defined as the number or percentage of children in a group or neighbourhood who are at or below the 10th percentile in at least one of the five EDI domains.

There was a significantly lower proportion of children categorized as ‘Vulnerable’ on one or more EDI domains in Peel and Brampton for 2015 compared to 2007.

Results for Peel, Brampton, Caledon and Mississsauga are shown in Table 8.

Year Peel (%) Brampton (%) Caledon (%) Mississauga (%)

31.830.330.0

200720102015

35.030.730.4

22.922.422.0

29.830.730.3

Table 8

Vulnerability on the EDI: Percentage of Children by Location,Peel and Peel Municipalities, 2007, 2010, 2015


Peel and Brampton have significantly lower proportions of children that are considered vulnerable compared to 2007.


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Acknowledgements

This report was authored by Saamir Pasha, Data Analysis Coordinator/Health Analyst, Peel Public Health. Additional input was provided by Sara Annou, Data Analysis Coordinator/Health Analyst, Peel Public Health; Philip Cavicchia, Supervisor, Population Health Assessment Team, Peel Public Health; Nancy Ramuscak, Program Manager, Peel Public Health; and Julie Stratton, Manager, Population Health Assessment Team, Peel Public Health.

The EDI data in this report are collected collaboratively in Peel by the following partners:

• Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board

• Le Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud

• Conseil scolaire Viamonde

• Peel District School Board

• Offord Centre for Child Studies

• Ministry of Education

• Peel Early Years Data Analysis Coordinators

References

Early Development Instrument: Equity from the Start [Internet]. Hamilton: Offord Centre for Child Studies; c1998-2016. History of the EDI [cited 2016 Dec 20]; Available from: https://edi.offordcentre.com/about/history-of-the-edi/

Online Data Tool to Help Peel Service Providers Better Understand Peel’s Neighbourhoods [Internet]. 2009. Available from: http://www.peelregion.ca/news/archiveitem.asp?year=2009&month=9&day=22&file=2009922.xml

The British Columbia Atlas of Child Development [Internet]. Kershaw P W. Canadian Western Geographical Series: 2005; 1203-1178; v.40. Available from: http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/bcatlasofchilddevelopment_cd_22-01-06.pdf

Guhn M, Gadermann A, Zumbo B. Does the EDI measure school readiness in the same way across different groups of children? Early Education and Development. 2010 Dec 21;18(3): 453-472.

Duncan G, Magnuson K. Can family socioeconomic resources account for racial and ethnic test score gaps? Future Child. 2005; 15(1): 35-54.

Adesope O, Lavin T, Thompson T, Ungerleider C. Pedagogical strategies for teaching literacy to ESL immigrant students: A meta-analysis. Br J Educ Psychol. 2011 Jan 6; 81(4): 629–653.

Patel S. Integrated early childhood program participation, parenting, and child development outcomes: The Toronto First Duty project [PhD]. University of Toronto; 2009.

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