Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/school-readiness/5021708/
School readiness has become quite the buzz. Visit state education department websites and you will see statements such as this: “In the early years of each child’s life, every experience, every day creates the foundation for success in school and beyond” (Colorado Department of Education, 2014).In this year’s State of the Union address, President Obama called for access to high-quality preschool for every child in America. Preschool for All, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, expands services for children birth through five with the goal of young children in America entering kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life.
While it is exciting to witness a focus on early learning, what does it actually mean to be ready for school? Is it just academics? What about social-emotional development and problem-solving skills? This article examines what is meant by school readiness and what young children need to be successful in today’s schools. It also presents key school readiness elements, from which all can benefit, that have evolved within Head Start, the national preschool program, that shifted its goal in the late 1990s from social competency to school readiness.
The Big Picture
Historically, school ...