One of the greatest opportunities to close the achievement gap starts before a child enters kindergarten. With the support from Baptist Community Ministries, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and the Institute of Mental Hygiene, OPEN is excited to launch the Ready, Set, Go! initiative focused on developmentally appropriate assessment of school readiness. The initiative is designed to help communities acquire information on how prepared children in their neighborhoods are for school during this critical time when essential funding and resources for Early Childhood Education is being reduced or eliminated completely in our community and across the nation. Specifically, OPEN is working in partnership with over 30 schools in the RSD, OPSB, and the Archdiocese to collect data on kindergartners’ school readiness.

Utilizing the Early Development Instrument (EDI), the information will be collected and shared with various neighborhood organizations, parents, early childhood service providers, city government, and other key stakeholders to help them better support families in preparing children for school. Ultimately, the Ready, Set, Go! initiative will help drive decisions on strategies to support children’s development across each of the areas examined.

OPEN would like to thank the following schools, their leaders, and most importantly the kindergarten teachers for showing exemplary leadership and their Ready, Set, Go! commitment: Benjamin Franklin Mathematics and Science School, Mahalia Jackson Elementary School, Edward Hynes Charter School, Robert Russa Moton Charter School, Paul B. Habans Elementary School, Mary D. Coghill Elementary School, Joseph A. Craig Elementary School, Medard H. Nelson Charter School, Pierre A. Capdau Charter School, Gentilly Terrace Charter School, Lafayette Academy Charter School, Esperanza Charter School, Lagniappe Academies, Reed Elementary School, Batiste Elementary School, SciTech Academy at Laurel School, Fannie C. Williams Charter School, Andrew Wilson Charter School, Intercultural Charter School, McDonogh City Park Academy, Morris Jeff Community School, James Singleton Charter School, Success Preparatory Academy, New Orleans College Preparatory Academy, John Dibert Community School, Samuel J. Green Charter School, Langston Hughes Academy Charter School, Benjamin E. Mays Preparatory School,Martin Behrman Charter Academy, Alice M. Harte Charter School, William J. Fischer Accelerated Academy, McDonogh #32 Literacy Charter School, Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy of Global Studies, St. Peter Claver Catholic School and Holy Ghost School.

For more information on the Ready, Set, Go! initiative or the Early Development Instrument, click here.