Studies show that educational achievement gaps already exist at Kindergarten entry.  Children from low-income families are more likely to start school with limited language skills, health problems and social and emotional problems that interfere with learning.  The larger the gap at school entry, the harder it is to close.

Schools can improve the readiness of young children by making connections with local child care providers and preschools by creating policies that ensure smooth transitions to kindergarten.  Schools must be ready to address the diverse needs of the children and families in their community and be committed to the success of every child. 

 







 

America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2007; Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.

 

Click here to read this publication.

 

Seven Things Policy Makers Need to Know about School Readiness, Revised and Expanded Toolkit (January 2005).  State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network.

Click here to read this publication.

 

School Readiness: Closing Racial and Ethnic Gaps, Vol 15, N.1 (Spring 2005).  The Future of Children.

Click here to download this publication.

 

Readiness: School, Family and Community Connections. (2004).Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Click here to read this publication.

 

Many Happy Returns: Three Economic Models that Make the Case for School Readiness (December 2004).  SECPTAN

Click here to read this publication.

 

Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies to Invest in School Readiness (May 2004).  SECPTAN.

Click here to read this publication.

 

On the Path to School Readiness: Key Questions to Consider Before Establishing Universal Pre-Kindergarten (March 2004).  SECPTAN

Click here to read this publication.

 

Serving America's Youngest: A Snapshot of Early Head Start Children, Families, Teachers, and Programs in 2002 (June 2003); The Center for Law and Social Policy.

 

Click here to read this publication.

 

Child Welfare and School Readiness-Making the Link for Vulnerable Children (June 2003).  Des Moines, IA: State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network (SECPTAN).

Click here to read this publication.

 

The Emergence of Learning-Related Social Skills in Preschool Children (Summer 2003); Early Childhood Research Quarterly, volume 18, issue 2.

 

Click here for more information.

 

Significant Changes Proposed for Head Start Reauthorization (Spring 2003); The Ounce of Prevention Fund; Birth to 5 News.

 

Click here to read this publication.



 

Seven Things Legislators (and Other Policy Makers) Need to Know About School Readiness (March 2003).  Des Moines, IA: State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network (SECPTAN).

Click here to explore this resource packet.

 

Measuring Children's School Readiness: Options for Developing State Baselines and Benchmarks (March 2003).  Des Moines, IA: State Early Childhood Policy Tecnical Assistance Network (SECPTAN).

Click here to read this publication.

 

School Readiness Policy and Budgeting: Template for Collecting State Baseline Information (March 2003).  Des Moines, IA: State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network (SECPTAN).

Click here to read this publication.

 

Financing School Readiness Strategies: An Annotated Bibliography (February 2003).  Des Moines, IA: State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network (SECPTAN).

Click here to read this publication.

 

Pre-kindergarten in U.S. Public Schools: 2000-2001 (2003); Education Statistics Quarterly (Early Childhood Education).

 

Click here to read this publication.



 

Starting Smart, How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development; The Ounce of Prevention Fund.

 

Click here to read this publication.

 
 

       

© 2005, School Readiness Indicators Initiative
One Union Station Providence, RI 02903 401.351.9400 fax 401.351.1758
If you have a question or comment about this website, please contact us.

The School Readiness Indicators Initiative is supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
The 17-state initiative is managed by Rhode Island KIDS COUNT