School districts will administer the Qualls Early Learning Inventory (QELI), formerly known as the Iowa Early Learning Inventory (IELI), to all entering kindergarten students during late August and early September 2005 to meet the requirements of Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 6-15-404(e) (Second Extraordinary Session of the Arkansas 84th General Assembly). The Qualls Early Learning Inventory is in a checklist format that helps teachers observe and record information about cognitive knowledge and classroom behaviors in six key areas: general knowledge, oral communication, written language, math concepts, work habits, and attentive behavior. The inventory was developed to be appropriate for all students, including those students with special needs and linguistic backgrounds, other than standard English.
There will be training for teachers, principals, district test coordinators, and counselors through a videoconference on April 8, 2005, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. While registration is not necessary, schools should contact the local educational cooperative for broadcast arrangements.
In order to gain a better teacher-to-teacher and student-to-student uniformity of administering the inventory, specific written Guidelines and a teacher observational tool called the Link will be introduced during the videoconference. This information will be provided prior to the videoconference.