1. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities Ready Schools Virginia’s Definition of School Readiness

2. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  “School readiness" describes the capabilities of children, their families, schools, and communities that will best promote student success in kindergarten and beyond.  Each component - children, families, schools and communities - plays an essential role in the development of school readiness.  No one component can stand on its own.

3. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  smooth the transition between home and school by:  communicating kindergarten standards and other school information to families through activities such as home visits, telephone calls, questionnaires, and kindergarten visitation days; and  forming effective relationships with parents and early childhood programs to share children's pre- kindergarten experiences and to assess their development.

4. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  support instruction and staff development by:  employing highly qualified teachers;  maintaining appropriate class sizes;  encouraging professional development; and  using best practices in the classroom.

5. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  support teachers as they assess the individual needs of children, design instruction based on these needs, and regularly monitor students' progress.

6. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  partner with communities by participating in activities such as:  recreational and enrichment programs;  family literacy activities;  before- and after-school care;  open houses; and  communication with other early childhood education programs in the community.

7. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  provide resources and services to address the diverse and individual needs of students including:  educational services;  health and mental health services; and  social services.

8. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities  emphasize the importance of early childhood education by:  regularly reviewing the quality, appropriateness, and alignment of the curriculum across all grades and phases of development; and  regularly focusing on and supporting the quality of teachers' interactions with children at all grade levels.

9. Ready schools... Ready schools... Ready Children... Ready Families... Ready Schools... Ready Communities Mark R. Allan, Ph.D. Director of Elementary Instruction Virginia Department of Education (804) 786-3925 Mark.Allan@doe.virginia.gov