Strategic Plan

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Strategy 5.4

Support communities, educational environments, families, and children to ensure that each child entering kindergarten at age five is socially, emotionally, and academically prepared.

5.4.1   Provide information to families and technical assistance to school systems to increase the number of students who participate in the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot (the Ages and Stages Questionnaires).
State agency led tactic.

5.4.2   Build community partnerships between elementary schools and early childhood care and education providers to ensure smooth transitions to Pre-K and kindergarten.
State agency led tactic.Statewide and community-level partnerships.

5.4.3   Inform families and community-based organizations about the importance of transitions, and help families develop transition plans to ensure they receive needed services during times of change, including but not limited to age-related transitions, changes in conditions, and/or geographic moves.
State agency led tactic.Local individual or small group champions.Statewide and community-level partnerships.

Progress Update

The Kindergarten Transitions Toolkit, developed by the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel and adopted by the Early Childhood Advisory Council, helps communities build a sustainable kindergarten transition plan, while the PDG Quality Subgrants for Kindergarten Readiness fund partnerships to support this transition. Additionally, the updated Kindergarten in Kansas booklets are now available in five languages. The Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot initiative continues to support the administration of the ASQ developmental screening tool, and the Bridges Pilot has expanded care coordination for families with children transitioning from Part B to Part C services by partnering with Infant Toddlers Services.

The Kansas Children’s Cabinet’s work to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library throughout the state directly supports families and literacy by mailing free books to children from birth to age 5. Research has shown that children enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library increased kindergarten readiness by 28.9%, and the program has been linked to significantly stronger reading skills from kindergarten to 3rd grade, an entire four years after participating.