More About School Readiness
MORE ABOUT SCHOOL READINESS
What is School Readiness?
School Readiness is a public school program for 3 ½ and 4 year old children and their families in Minnesota. School Readiness provides children with various opportunities to participate in early childhood programs that enable them to enter school with the skills and behaviors needed for them to progress and flourish.
School Readiness matches a wide variety of services with the needs of participating children. Local programs strengthen and build upon existing services and resources to meet the health, nutrition, education, and social service needs of children in order to enhance their learning, development, and future success in school. It has been cited as a high quality early childhood program by Child Trends, a national research organization.
What happens in School Readiness?
All School Readiness programs include the following:
a comprehensive plan to foster collaboration with an existing social service programs for families with young children;
a child development and learning component;
health referral services;
a nutrition component;
parent involvement;
cooperative efforts with adult literacy programs;
community outreach; and
community-based staff and program resources.
Types of School Readiness opportunities vary and are locally designed to meet the needs of preschool age children and families in their communities. They include:
half-day preschool programs;
collaboration with Early Childhood Special Education;
home visiting with children and parents
contracting with Head Start;
adding a half-day of child only time to Early Childhood Family Education;
providing services for parents of children in existing programs
parent and child kindergarten preparation;
programming with family and center based child care providers;
linking with family literacy programs and family resource centers;
transportation assistance, and
other services developed by each community
School Readiness programs recognize that all children do not need identical services, but share a common base: learning experiences must be developmentally appropriate and an integral part of the child’s day. Resources follow the child and learning opportunities are provided in a variety of settings as close to home as possible.
Each program has an advisory council which helps match school readiness services to community needs. Participating parents and service providers make up the advisory council.
Who Participates in School Readiness?
Children who are 3 ½ years old and not yet in kindergarten are eligible for School Readiness. Some districts may serve children younger than 3 ½ old. Participation is voluntary and services are offered free or for a nominal fee. Fees are waived for families unable to pay. Extensive coordination among community programs and services, parents, policymakers and others is required to assure that children identified through Early Childhood Screening as having the greatest needs receive the most intensive and extensive services.
Why is Early Education Important?
Evidence on the significance of the first years of life is well established and continues to expand. The 2000 National Research Council and Institute of Medicine publication, From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development, documents the advances in various science fields that profoundly increase this understanding of rapid child growth and development during the early years. According to the authors, it is the environmental influences, as well as genetics, that impact subsequent outcomes for children. The report concludes that high quality early childhood programs or experiences matter and can positively influence future development.
Why Involve Parents?
Parents are the best advocates for their children. Through School Readiness, parents are considered full partners in their child’s development and learning. Research shows that early childhood programs involving both parents and children are more effective than programs that focus exclusively on the child. Involving families prior to kindergarten encourages parents to play an active role in their children’s learning in the elementary years and beyond. Children whose parents create a home environment that encourages learning and who are involved in their children’s education are more successful in school.
How is it Funded and What Does it Cost?
State funding $8 million for School Readiness of was first made available to Minnesota school districts in 1991. In 2001, 20.7 million in state funding was allocated for School Readiness for the 2002-2003 biennium. School district plans for School Readiness are reviewed by two state agencies every other year before state funds are made available for local implementation. Local and Federal funds are tapped as in-kind contributions to enhance the state dollars providing School Readiness.
Other Community Programs and Services
The continuum of services offered through School Readiness builds on existing resources in the community. Cooperation and coordination with other programs and agencies to deliver School Readiness services is critical to program success. Approximately 20,000 referrals to and from other programs each year reflect this. Referral, coordination, and program integration occur frequently with:
Early Childhood Special Education,
Early Childhood Family Education,
Head Start,
home and center-based child care providers,
community preschools,
kindergarten
county health and human service, and
many other community agencies and organizations.
Who Benefits From School Readiness?
When the outcome of School Readiness are achieved- the children entering school ready to learn and parents involved in their children’s learning and education- all of society benefits! The potential for early childhood programs such as School Readiness to prevent or reduce later learning problems of children is borne out by extensive research. Dollars spent on early education are more than repaid by savings in remedial costs during later school years. This early investment increases the effectiveness of the total investment society makes in education.
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