Kindergarten Readiness

Kindergarten readiness means that communities, educational environments, families and children are prepared for a successful start to the school year. Early childhood experiences from birth to kindergarten entry lay the foundation for later school success.

Kindergarten in Kansas Booklets for Families

The booklet Kindergarten in Kansas provides information to support families of young children as they prepare to begin kindergarten. These booklets are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, Swahili and Vietnamese. KSDE partners with the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) to make these booklets available at no cost to families, schools and community partners. Complete this order form to order copies of Kindergarten in Kansas (external link) or contact Natalie Schweda.

Kindergarten in Kansas - English

Kindergarten in Kansas - Spanish

Kindergarten in Kansas - Arabic

Kindergarten in Kansas - Burmese

Kindergarten in Kansas - Swahili

Kindergarten in Kansas - Vietnamese

Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool

In Kansas, all elementary schools must partner with families to complete the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot. Collecting information about each child’s development prepares schools, families and children for kindergarten. Strong relationships between families and teachers lay the foundation for a successful school year. 

The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) provide a snapshot of children’s developmental milestones. As caregivers know their children best, they complete both questionnaires.

The ASQ-3 addresses five developmental areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving and personal-social. The ASQ: SE-2 addresses seven social-emotional areas: self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive behaviors, autonomy, affect and interaction with people.

Schools should review the 2026-2027 Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Fact Sheet for key dates, action items and resources for schools to successfully prepare for the Snapshot. Visit agesandstages.com/ks (external link) for quick reference guides, online training modules and “how-to” videos describing how to implement the ASQ.

ASQ Training

Teachers and administrators have several upcoming opportunities to strengthen their ability to successfully partner with families to complete the ASQ: 

KSDE and the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center will host “Introduction to the ASQ” on Friday, Aug. 7, from 1- 3 p.m. This training is designed to provide an understanding of the ASQ and how to effectively partner with families to complete developmental screenings, interpret results, and utilize the results to make decisions. The training incorporates a family study, role playing conversations with caregivers, and exercises on interpreting scores. There is also a brief overview of ASQ Online. This training is designed for school districts but all are welcome to attend. Register at ksdetasn.org/events (external link).  

KSDE and the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center will host “Using ASQ to Engage Families and Support Learning (Intermediate ASQ)” on Friday, May 1, from 1- 2:30 p.m. and on Friday, July 31, from 9-10:30 a.m. This is a fast-paced training for those with prior experience utilizing developmental screeners who want to learn more about using the screening information to impact child development. This is an excellent opportunity for those with ASQ experience who want to use the ASQ to more meaningfully engage with families and support student learning. Register at ksdetasn.org/events (external link).  

Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot questions:

For simple questions, for example, looking up a username or resetting a password to ASQ Online, contact:

Brookes Publishing Technical Support (external link)
1-866-404-9853.

For more specific questions (for example, setting up ASQ Online Family Access links), contact:
implementation@brookespublishing.com

For kindergarten and Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot questions for KSDE, please contact:

Amanda Petersen
Early Childhood Director

Stacy Clarke
State Interagency Coordinating Council Coordinator 

Natalie McClane
Preschool Programs Coordinator