A lack of kindergarten readiness for many Kentucky students continues to challenge school districts, but Warren County Public Schools is gaining ground by recently earning recognition for all its preschool programs under Kentucky All STARS, a system that rates and tries to improve early childhood education programs.

“This is the state’s new way of rating any facility that provides services for early childhood,” said Lorie Richey, director of Warren County Public Schools’ preschool programs. “The purpose of doing this is for families to be able to make decisions on where they want their child to go.”

Only about half of Kentucky kids entering kindergarten last year were academically ready, according to data from the Kentucky Department of Education. That’s a problem, Richey said, because preschool is about learning how to be a student before kids are asked to transition into a more restrictive and demanding school day schedule.

“It’s more than just learning to read and do math – it’s about interacting with other children,” Richey said.

Beth Schaeffer, a preschool consultant with the district, agreed.

“Children are sponges,” said Schaeffer, who has 25 years of experience in the early childhood education. “They want to learn. They’re eager to learn, and we have to set the environment for them.”

Schaeffer said her job is to ensure high quality in all 21 of the district’s preschool classrooms. She said the district accomplishes that by training teachers and instructional assistants before the school year starts. Students attend preschool two days a week all day with a teacher and instructional assistant in each classroom. Richey said the district maintains a ratio of one adult for every 10 students.

Schaeffer said training is tailored around a school’s learning needs, such as more language training for schools with more English language learner students.

“One of the No. 1 indicators of school success is vocabulary. Our classrooms are rich in vocabulary,” Schaeffer said, adding they try to introduce preschool students to new and different materials because it piques their curiosity.

The goal is to get students to use language more conversationally and encourage their social and emotional development.

Terry Brooks, executive director of the Kentucky Youth Advocates, said that although he understands the importance of preparing students for kindergarten, not enough is said about schools readying themselves for incoming students.

“If they got recognized maybe they can be a model for the state,” he said. “Schools also have to be prepared to address those young kids who don’t meet that standard.”

Richey agreed.

“If we’re doing something that warrants five stars, we need to share that with those entities around us, so that regardless of where a child goes before they enter kindergarten they’re going to get the same high-quality level of instruction,” she said.

— Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @BGDN_edbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.