Supporting children, families and schools: a community–university partnership to promote school readiness

Purpose This study examined trends in school readiness in the context of a community–university partnership (CUP) supported by funding from the local county through the Children and Families Commission. The study describes the influence of diverse community efforts on school readiness, focusing on the role of prekindergarten attendance in predicting children’s readiness for school. Design/methodology/approach Several community efforts to support school readiness were implemented over the years based on different strategic plan priorities. An evaluation framework was used to monitor community-wide trends in school readiness. Teachers at participating schools and school districts received annual training from the local university on using a universal school readiness screener, the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP) and rated all entering kindergarten students during the first three weeks of the school year. Trends were analyzed both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Results revealed a trend toward improvement in overall school readiness over the years, despite a temporary decline during the pandemic. Prekindergarten attendance was significantly associated with students’ school readiness at kindergarten entry, even after controlling for child age. These findings were reported back to schools, the county government and funders, highlighting positive impacts of the CUP. Originality/value The findings underscore the importance of investing in prekindergarten programs as part of collaborative efforts to enhance educational outcomes, especially in response to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study illustrates how strategic investments and collaborations can sustain and improve community wide school readiness outcomes over time.