Data from national entering first-grade populations of 1964 (N=12,225) and of 1972/1973 (N=4275/6653) show an 11-point increase in median raw score on the 102-item Metropolitan Readiness Tests. The increase is shown to be greater at the lower than at the higher ranges of the score scale, with the first quartile increasing by 13 points, the third…

This study describes the development of a technique to help the pre-school teacher create an environment in which a large group of children can learn and to be an effective mediator between the environment and the interests and abilities of each child. Teachers were trained to rate children in terms of observational categories, to help them…

Compared two groups of children who were equally unready for school at start of kindergarten: one group (N=40) was retained in kindergarten and the other group (N=40) was not retained. When compared after completion of first grade no differences were found on outcome measures of reading achievement, math achievement, social maturity, learner…

Supports articles in this "Educational Leadership" issue by Robert Salzer and by Lorrie A. Shepard and Mary Lee Smith concerning overtesting for developmental maturity and school readiness. Underlines differences between screening and readiness tests and sets out criteria for selection and usage--to determine appropriate services for young…

For a successful kindergarten experience, children need to develop certain social and learning skills before entering school. Social skills include cooperation, responsibility, perseverance, and independence. Auditory and visual discrimination and motor and language skills are important for a positive learning experience. (DF)

This brief outlines both the national and state environments and summarizes the opportunities and challenges that need to be taken into account as states move forward to develop comprehensive early childhood systems. It is adapted from and summarizes a full report entitled "Planning for the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative…

Nations and states monitor the progress of children with good reason. They are the early indicators of future prosperity, of a stable and productive society. In recent years, economists have become more interested than ever before in the impact of early investments in children on the future health of the economy. And scientists are giving them the…

This document describes domains to be covered by the Work Sampling Assessment of the Delaware Student Testing Programs Kindergarten and First Grade assessment. It contains guidelines to the skills children should demonstrate at these grades. It also describes indicators of these skills in terms of specific achievements. For Kindergarten, the first…

With about 60 percent of American children under age 5 spending part of their day in care outside the home, many policymakers seem to be jumping on the early childhood education bandwagon. Most states now fund or are creating preschool programs, many have developed learning standards for young children, and it is becoming widely accepted that…

An audit was conducted to determine whether the U.S. Department of Education had implemented adequate management controls to administer the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) in accordance with legislative, regulatory, and internal administrative requirements. The focus was on the fiscal year 2000 grant…

State pre kindergarten programs have grown dramatically in the last two decades, and much more attention is being paid to the school readiness of children. Six states, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have policies in place or a goal to move toward universal access to pre kindergarten, and other state leaders…

This study demonstrates that children who were identified as hyperkinetic" were absent from school more frequently, and did remarkably less well on standardized tests of school readiness than their peers rated nonhyperkinetic." Implications are discussed and suggestions made for the development of intervention programs. (Author/CJ)

This study examined the ability of the Listen and Look (LL) test of cross-modal perception and the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) to predict reading achievement. Data from 79 first-grade pupils were analyzed. Both the LL and MRT demonstrated predictive validity. (Author/BW)

The author refutes the findings of a study (EC 124 401) indicating a birthdate effect on readiness level and suggests that school psychologists and others should stop blaming chronological age for reading failure. (CL)

Compared school readiness as understood by kindergarten teachers in 11 rural Missouri communities with results of national Carnegie study of 7,000 kindergarten teachers. Found that Missouri teachers judged their students as more ready than did the national sample, and a greater portion believed that children are more ready now than five years ago.…