School Readiness Plans and Assessment

Ready Child, Ready School

School readiness describes the status and ongoing progress a child makes within the domains of physical well-being and motor development, social and emotional development, language and comprehension development, and cognition and general knowledge. By monitoring each child’s progress across multiple domains, teachers, parents, schools, and caregivers can provide needed support to ensure each child’s success in school.

School Readiness Plans

CAP4K requires that each child in a publicly funded preschool and kindergarten program have an Individual School Readiness (ISR) plan. An ISR is an individual learning plan that is informed by ongoing assessment of a child’s progress in the developmental and academic domains. The department encourages educators to consider the ISR plan to be a living document where a child’s progress is recorded and a tool for informing instruction.

Coming soon: CDE will be providing a sample school readiness plan for optional use or modification at the local level. CDE will also provide a sample school readiness plan with READ plan components for students indicated with a significant reading deficiency.

School Readiness Assessment

CAP4K requires that all students in a publicly funded kindergarten be assessed using as state approved school readiness assessment. The purpose of school readiness assessment is to inform the development of an individual school readiness plan in order to provide a responsive learning environment for each child. Information gathered from school readiness assessments is to be used for supportive and instructional purposes and cannot be used to deny a student admission or progression to kindergarten or first grade.

In December 2012, the State Board of Education voted to offer districts a menu of school readiness assessments. The first approved assessment tool for the menu is Teaching Strategies GOLD. Pending positive technical reports and final review, the State Board will approve additional school readiness assessment tools for the menu.

CAP4K does not provide funding for school readiness assessments. Colorado’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Fund grant will cover the initial cost of Teaching Strategies GOLD subscriptions. Districts interested in accessing funding for the 2013-14 school year should complete this brief form.

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)