Neighborhood School Readiness Teams bring together educators and administrators from child care centers, family child care, preschools, FCPS elementary schools in those neighborhoods, as well as representatives from local government agencies and other community and faith-based organizations to identify the needs of neighborhood families and to develop the relationships needed to effectively support the children and their families as they transition to kindergarten. The goal of this project is to sustain and increase neighborhood school readiness partnerships to support the successful transition of low-income, at-risk young children to kindergarten.

Results:

• 9 neighborhoods currently participating: Annandale Terrace, Lake Anne, Freedom Hill, Bonnie Brae, Hollin Meadows, Hybla Valley, Centre Ridge, Providence, and Lynbrook Elementary Schools.
• Nearly 500 preschool children reached annually to participate in classroom visits during school registration period.
• Early kindergarten enrollment has increased by 20% year over year since 2008.
• Parent participation in kindergarten orientation has increased by 40% since the inception of the program.
• 60% of families with children in preschool getting ready to transition to kindergarten responded favorably to taking an active role in their children’s transition to kindergarten.  Two-thirds of the respondents valued the information as important/very important in understanding their role and what to expect.
• 85 child care providers responded to our surveys which accounted for 80% of those we reached out to and nearly 1/3 of whom did so in Spanish.
• Most specifically cited Helping Your Child Love to Learn and Paving the Way to Kindergarten along with school visits as the most effective resources to working with children and families in their care.