Is Your Child Part of the 45%?

When schools opened in Monroe County last August, 625 bright-eyed, eager kids showed up for Kindergarten, but 45% of our kids were not “kindergarten-ready” as measured by Florida’s simple screener that assesses each child’s strengths and areas for growth in early literacy and math skills.

This means that far too many Monroe County children started Kindergarten without core skills like recognizing letters and the sounds they make, which set the foundation for reading proficiency.

Monroe’s K-12 schools are among the best in Florida, but many of our 24 pre-K schools (public and private) are not. Only about half of these schools meet the minimum program requirements set by the Department of Education. These schools can and must do better for our early learners to ensure they have access to quality programs that foster a love for lifelong learning.

Here is what we have to do: 1. Parents and families must be encouraged to enroll every 4-year-old in a FREE pre-K program at one of the 24 schools from Key Largo to Key West. 2. Children must attend every day. 3. Schools must invest in professional development and deliver the approved curricula. 4. School leadership must set the standard and meet the state requirements.

Florida’s VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) program is FREE. All parents should take advantage, enroll their children, and get them to school every day. Research results are crystal clear: Being Kindergarten-ready is the leading indicator predicting early literacy and numeracy, on-time high school graduation, and readiness for career or college.

The first five years of a child’s life are critical for brain development and language acquisition. We can do better. None of Monroe’s 4-year-olds belong in the 45%.

John Padget is a resident of Key West and a former Vice-Chair of the Florida State Board of Education.

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