In many school districts, kindergarten teachers administer basic assessments of child readiness to new students before they enroll in a kindergarten class. During these assessments, your child may be asked to draw, count, read, and write to the best of their current ability. For some parents and children, these assessments can be somewhat stressful. However, if you understand the reasoning behind the assessments, you and your child may feel better about participating in them and can use them to help prepare for kindergarten at a school like Triple R Child Care.

In Most States, Admission Into Public Kindergarten Is Not Reliant On Assessments 

Most states only require that a child be a certain age (usually 5 years old by September 1st or January 1st) in order to enroll in public kindergarten. This means that skills assessments cannot be used to determine whether your child is ready to enroll in kindergarten. While private schools can deny admission based on academic assessments, most public schools cannot. Because of this, you do not need to be worried about your child's performance on these assessments. Instead, consider them a valuable tool in mapping out your child's education. 

Assessments Help Teachers Prepare Curriculum for Students and Measure Student Progress 

It is helpful for parents to understand why a teacher may choose to give your child a kindergarten skills assessment. These assessments may be used to determine which class or group your child is placed in and to help teachers plan what skills they will need to work on throughout the year. In some circumstances, these assessments may show that your child is eligible to skip kindergarten and progress directly to first grade. Additionally, a pre-assessment followed by a post-assessment allows a teacher to know if their current teaching methods are working and whether they need to make changes in their approach to certain skills. 

Knowing the Assessments Used In Your State May Help You Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten

Kindergarten assessments are usually brief. Your child may be asked to count to 10 or 20, to recite the alphabet, and to identify certain pictures or letters. Knowing exactly what your school district includes on their assessment will help guide you when choosing what to teach your child at home. Remember, your child does not have to master all of these skills, but introducing them to your child before kindergarten can help your child be more comfortable and successful when they begin going to class.