KEY ISSUES
School readiness is a key way to measure the success of early care and education programs and resulting student wellness and success. High-quality environments, experiences and supports ahead of kindergarten have been linked with a multitude of positive benefits, including reading and math achievement.
To support equitable opportunities and outcomes, state policymakers can use the resources below to assess early care and education governance structures, search trends in state legislation, and find key strategies to support students and the workforce.
RESEARCH
50-State Comparisons
How all states approach school readiness policies.
REPORT
Policy Reports
Relevant context and state policy examples on school readiness issues.
Blog Posts
Legislative trends and other news with implications for school readiness.
Using data-informed decisions paired with bipartisan support for early care and education, state policymakers achieved significant, yet specific, systems-level changes in 2022 amid evolving challenges in the education systems in their states.
Attendance declines and interruptions to instruction and care have led to a rise in behavioral issues and growing gaps in literacy and math for young children. Given these challenges, the transition into kindergarten has come into focus as a critical junction…
Systems-thinking may provide a means to mitigate the unprecedented challenges of unemployment, social isolation and an unstable economy.
Policies that expand access to high-quality medical care and early childhood programs provide important benefits to children and families, such as improved literacy and numeracy skills and executive function at kindergarten entry and beyond.
COUNSEL
State Information Requests
Brief issue scans, typically provided within 48 hours, that provide top-level information on school readiness.
Searching for something different?
View all available school readiness resources:
Explore our State Education Policy Tracking resource:
Browse pending legislation on our State Education Policy Watchlist: