Starting in the 2013-14 school year, kindergarten classrooms in Kentucky’s public schools will use a readiness screener to ensure that all children receive the support they need to be successful in school.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has contracted with Curriculum Associates, LLC and will be using the BRIGANCE® Kindergarten Screen as the common kindergarten readiness screener. The screener will not be used to determine eligibility for kindergarten. State law provides that all children who are age 5 by October 1 of the school year are eligible to attend kindergarten. Educators will use the screener to observe students as they complete specific tasks. Data collected will inform teachers of each child’s readiness to learn.

School districts may use the kindergarten entry screener data in the following ways:

  • to inform educators, parents and communities about early learning in order to close the school readiness gap
  • to inform policy decisions at the local level to support early learning experiences prior to school entry
  • to establish local goals for program improvement in order to achieve early learning outcomes
  • to include data as evidence in the kindergarten through grade 3 Program Review

There is no cost to school districts for materials to implement the screener; those are paid for by state funds. It is anticipated that the kindergarten readiness screener will be mandatory and fully implemented in all kindergarten classrooms in the 2013-14 school year. However, KDE invites school districts to volunteer to use the BRIGANCE® Kindergarten Screen during the 2012-13 school year, either in all schools or in selected schools.

See the original press release here.