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School Readiness

If you hear the words “school readiness” you may not be familiar with their meaning.  Even if you know what that term means, you may still have some questions about what it is or how it affects you and your child. School readiness is a child’s ability to successfully demonstrate the skills needed for kindergarten. For a child to demonstrate readiness they must be able to perform certain tasks from a comprehensive set of developmental areas – known as Domains of Learning.  The domains include language and literacy, mathematical thinking, the arts, physical development, scientific thinking, social studies, social and personal development.  While all domains are important and need to be developed, the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment measures readiness in four domains- Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Physical Well Being and Motor Development, Social Foundations. These domains have the greatest impact on overall kindergarten readiness.  

 School Readiness FAQ 

Source: for more information visit www.readyatfive.org

  • What is school readiness? As stated before, a child’s ability to successfully do kindergarten work. For a child to be known as fully ready they must be able to perform certain tasks from a comprehensive set of developmental areas – known as Domains of Learning.  The domains include language and literacy, mathematical thinking, the arts, physical development, scientific thinking, social studies, social and personal development.
  • How is it measured?   As of the school year 2014, children in Maryland entering kindergarten take the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA).  Maryland's Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) measures children’s readiness in four domains – Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Physical Well-being and Motor Development, and Social Foundations.  These domains have the greatest impact on overall kindergarten readiness. Kindergarten readiness results are reported in the following categories: 
    • Demonstrating Readiness – a child demonstrates the foundational skills and behaviors that prepare him/her for curriculum-based learning on the kindergarten standards.
    • Approaching Readiness – a child exhibits some of the foundational skills and behaviors that prepare him/her for curriculum-based learning on the kindergarten standards.
    • Emerging Readiness – a child displays minimal foundational skills and behaviors that prepare him/her for curriculum-based learning on the kindergarten standards. These children will require instructional support to be successful in kindergarten.
  • Why does school readiness matter?   Children who enter kindergarten demonstrating readiness are more likely to succeed academically throughout their school careers. According to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), there is a strong link between kindergarten readiness and Grade 3 reading scores. In fact, the data shows that children who enter kindergarten demonstrating readiness in Language and Literacy have a 91% chance of scoring as Proficient or Advanced on the Grade 3 MSA in Reading.   

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