Linking Preschool Assessment and
Kindergarten Goals
By Beth Bye, Director, CREC Early Childhood Education

Preschool children can make a more successful transition to kindergarten – and have a better chance at positive academic outcomes – when parents, teachers and administrators work together to improve communication.

Although preschool education programs in Connecticut have historically been isolated from public schools, the state took steps in 1995 to improve communication between preschools and public schools with the passage of the School Readiness initiative.

The School Readiness program was designed to be administered through local councils led by local school and town officials. As a part of this preschool initiative, the State Department of Education developed two comprehensive curriculum guides for early childhood educators in Connecticut: the Preschool Benchmarks and the Preschool Assessment Framework.  In growing numbers, preschool programs are using the guides to set goals for learning.

Now, as the state moves forward with its universal preschool initiative, there are even more opportunities to link preschools and public schools. Working together, preschool and kindergarten teachers and administrators can develop new materials that help parents and children make successful transitions to kindergarten.

For instance, the goals communicated to families about entry to kindergarten by the state can often differ greatly from those stated in district goals. But several school districts in the Hartford region have worked to resolve the problem by convening meetings of kindergarten and preschool teachers to review kindergarten readiness materials.

In those meetings, the groups reviewed kindergarten assessments and report cards, and compared those materials to the goals outlined in the Preschool Assessment Framework. As a result, the districts developed materials that outline a common set of goals for preschool and kindergarten children for families, private and public preschool providers, and kindergarten teachers.

By breaking down the barriers between public and private programs, as well as preschool and school-age programs, educators can develop a more cohesive curriculum and set clearer goals for children.

To learn more about school readiness or early childhood education programs managed by CREC, contact Beth Bye at 860-524-4099 or bbye@crec.org.