Ready to Start
Ready to Start is committed to preparing children to be ready to enter kindergarten in Kern County. Ready to Start (R2S) addresses the need of preparing children with limited or no preschool experience for kindergarten in a structured, academic five-week program. The program is during the summer months before the start of the school year.
Children are ready to learn as measured in the areas of reading, math, and social skills at the beginning of kindergarten. Each student is tested before, during and after the program.
R2S Conclusions in 2010:
- Average score on the R2S post-test was 93% -- up from pre-test score of 60%
- R2S students perform as well or better than the rest of the kindergarten population
- Performance of a R2S student is competitive with the general population and scores for that grade level
- R2S students, over time, still score at or above peers on assessment tests
- Data to date indicates that R2S is an innovative, cost-effective way to prepare 4 year-olds for kindergarten & later academic success
- 95% of kindergarten teachers say R2S students are better prepared for kindergarten in both social and academic areas
University of California figures indicate Kern County has half the percentage of college graduates as does the rest of California. Ready to Start addresses this need by preparing children for success in kindergarten and beyond who have had no or limited preschool.