County's kindergarten preparation best in state

Franklin County kindergartners are tops in the state when it comes to entering school with the skills needed to succeed as they embark on their next dozen years in the classroom.

According to data released last month by the Florida Department of Education, results of last year’s screening of public school kindergartners showed that Franklin County had more than 83 percent of its entering class of kindergartners considered ready for reading success based on a measurement of their ability to name letters and to be aware of the different sounds associated with them.

This percentage was nearly 20 percentage points higher than the state average of 65 percent for this Florida Assessments of Instruction of Reading (FAIR) screening. The FAIR screening uses two measures, one for letter-naming and sound awareness, and the other for listening comprehension and vocabulary.

A second screening for literacy skills, the Early Childhood Observation System (ECHOS), showed that nearly 96 percent of Franklin County’s 94 kindergartners were deemed ready for the classroom based on this observation screening.

This was second best in the state, second only to Sumter County’s slightly better than 96 percent results. Franklin County’s percentage for readiness was about 8 percentage points better than the state average of 88.5 percent deemed “ready for kindergarten.”

The screenings are administered within the first 30 days of kindergarten, and measure a student’s knowledge and understanding in seven areas: language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, social and personal skills, physical health and fitness, and the creative arts. The screening results are used to determine student readiness, inform classroom instruction and provide useful information to parents and teachers.

“Early learning is essential for future success and I’m thrilled that more students are entering school better prepared and ready to learn,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “Florida’s parents and prekindergarten teachers have dedicated countless hours to educating our students at an earlier age, ensuring that our success today is not short-lived, but rather an enduring trend that will pave the way for more students to be successful throughout their education career.”

At January’s meeting, Superintendent Nina Marks presented to the school board the many pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers and paraprofessionals who had been instrumental in preparing the students for classroom success.

Introduced were Dr. Kay Cadwallader, pre-k coordinator, pre-k teachers Patty Kulick, Valerie Miller, Tammy Sasnett and Mary Williams, kindergarten teachers Sara Broker, Ina Margaret Meyer, Barbara Bloodworth, and Patty Dempsey, and pre-k paraprofessionals Marcia Thomas, Vickie Segree, Alfred Smith, Abbie Shiver and Lisa Murray.