Extension
It Starts With Us
Parenting/Child Development
Improve Individual and Family Development
Rachel Hance, Carrie Derossett
Family Development General
Family and Consumer Science
“School-readiness” is a broad term that refers to multiple precursor cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills that indicate young children are prepared to learn and thrive in the school environment. A wide body of research shows a strong foundation in school readiness is indicative of school success. Emerging research also indicates that there is a synergistic effect when early learning activities activate physical and cognitive skills simultaneously, as opposed to doing so in isolation. However, in the state of Kentucky only 50% of children are deemed “school-ready” when they enter Kindergarten. These numbers indicate a need for more activities that support school-readiness by building multiple skill sets simultaneously.
96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care. Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care settings in the country. 15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home. Kinship care providers need support.
- Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in the state of Kentucky.
- Improve academic success for children in Kentucky
- Increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
- Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Logan county
- Increase number of learning activities experienced at home
- Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
- Increase caregiver advocacy for children in their care including legal, medical, social, and educational services
Increase access of community services to caregivers
- Kentuckians understand the importance of developmentally appropriate play to their child’s academic success
- Increase child’s ability to express appropriate emotion
- Improve child’s gross motor skills
Improve child’s early literacy skills including phonological awareness, print awareness, and vocabulary
Outcome: Kentuckians learn fun age appropriate activities to aid in their child’s healthy development.
Indicator: Number of parents who expressed learning new activities to engage their children at home.
Method: Community Early Childhood Council events
Timeline: Fall 2024, Spring 2025
Outcome: Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
Indicator: How many children increased their ability to express emotion after attending the program?
Method: Community Early Childhood Council events
Timeline: Fall 2024, Spring 2025
Outcome: Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Logan County.
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many parents reported improved gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and early literacy skills?)
Method: Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Kindergarten Readiness Results
Timeline: Fall 2024, Spring 2025
Outcome: Increase skills and resources of caregivers to provide effective care for young relatives
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many caregivers improve skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy)
Method: Community Early Childhood Council event
Timeline: Fall 2024, Spring 2025
Audience: Preschool aged children and their parents
Project or Activity: Community Early Childhood Council School Readiness Events
Content or Curriculum: Community Early Childhood Council
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers, Kentucky CES publications and resources, Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), Nutrition Education Programs (NEP)
Date: Fall 2024, Spring 2025
