EFFECTIVE

KINDERGA
RTEN
READINESS
ASSESSME
NTInfluencing Policy,
Informing Instruction, and
Creating Joyful
Classrooms
 WHAT IS KINDERGARTEN
READINESS?
Readiness encompasses multiple domains of growth and
development.
General concepts/Domains:

language and literacy

cognition
general knowledge (including early Science and Mathematics concepts)
approaches to learning
physical well-being and motor development
social and emotional development
Young learners develop skills and abilities across all of these developmental
domains in a highly interrelated manner, building confidence and expertise as
new competencies are mastered. But children often progress unevenly within and
across domains, meaning that ongoing observations may be needed to get a sense
of a child’s developmental trajectory (Regenstein et.al 2017; Snow 2011)
Similarly, there is high variability in what is considered
the “normal range” of child development (Meisels 2006;
NAEYC 2009). Young children are constantly
developing and acquiring new skills, but the rate at
which early learners acquire new concepts and skills
varies significantly among children.
 KRAs can
support:
● KRA results can be used to develop “ready schools” that is, schools
that are well designed to meet the needs of their incoming
kindergarteners. Using KRAs in a school can inform a community
conversation about the needs of the incoming kindergarten cohort,
which can inform early learning program design and transition
planning for children and families.

● KRAs can support early learning and kindergarten classrooms in

aligning their practices by informing teachers about the overall
strengths and weaknesses of each cohort’s skills at kindergarten entry,
in order to better target instruction and strengthen transitions.
 KRAs can
support:
● KRAs can also support teachers’ understanding of children’s learning
and advance their knowledge of child development as they document
each child’s knowledge and competencies and identify a child’s
strengths and areas in need of improvement.

● KRAs can also foster teacher-parent partnerships. Families can be

included as part of the process of sharing what they know about their
child’s learning and also receive information about their child’s
development that can support learning needs at home.
 KRAs can
support:
● KRAs can provide useful information along with results from
screenings and other observations to identify children who should
be referred for evaluation of potential developmental delays or
other special needs.
 WHAT
IS
SCHOOL
READINESS?
 American Academy of Pediatrics “school readiness
includes the readiness of the individual child, the
school readiness for children, the ability of the family
and community to support optimal early childhood
development.”

 This definition recognizes the research indicating the

role of families and the community on the children’s
ability to succeed in school.
 “Many Best Practices Cannot Be
Regulated, They Must Be Coached”
Standards define what children should know and be able to do.

Professional development gives teachers the skills to help children reach

the standards.

Curricula help guide learning in the classroom.

Formative assessments provide teachers with ongoing information to

individualize and improve instruction.
 Potential Next Steps For the AR
Kindergarten Readiness Committee
Develop a definition of school readiness?

Revise the current kindergarten indicators?

Develop/Revise materials for parents?

Assess professional development needs and develop new modules and

resources?
 THANK
S!

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 RESOURCES/REFERENCES

●Effective Kindergarten Readiness Assessments

(Influencing Policy, Informing Instruction, and Creating
Joyful Classrooms)
- Elliot Regenstein, Maia C. Connors, Rio Romero-Jurado, and Joyce Weiner

●Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO)

Overview of State Kindergarten Readiness Definitions Little
Rock, Arkansas