Strategy: School Readiness Initiative
What We Do > Our Strategies > Strategy: School Readiness Initiative
Why This Matters:
Readiness for school starts long before the first day of Kindergarten. Children that are ready for school have the physical, social/emotional, and academic skills needed to make a successful move into Kindergarten. These children are more likely to stay in school and achieve future school success. Research shows that unprepared children have significantly lower comprehension, vocabulary and reading skills by 3rd grade. Gaps in achievement can and should be narrowed with earlier investments. Just as we want to invest in helping children be as ready as possible for school, we also want schools to be ready for children, ensuring that smooth transitions are in place from preschool to Kindergarten and beyond.
What We Are Doing:
To prepare children for their elementary school experience, the First 5 Alameda County (F5AC) School Readiness Initiative addresses key areas that research shows are instrumental in promoting early development and learning. Such as our Summer Pre-Kindergarten programs and school transition efforts. We also work closely with school districts to integrate F5AC-funded services with Transitional Kindergarten and other initiatives such as Full Service Community School efforts.
Our Summer Preschool Program (SPK) is designed to provide children with an opportunity to learn in a developmentally appropriate classroom environment and expose them to social experiences and develop various skills necessary for success in Kindergarten. Since its inception in 2001, over 6,000 children throughout eleven school districts have participated in the SPK program.
