Frequently Asked Questions - Ages and Stages

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about the use of ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 as the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool through these FAQs.

WHAT IS THE KANSAS KINDERGARTEN READINESS SNAPSHOT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

The first five years of a child’s life are an incredible opportunity to set a positive direction. Engaging with families to better understand children’s development prepares children, families and schools for a successful start to the kindergarten year.

To advance kindergarten readiness, all Kansas elementary schools are partnering with families of incoming kindergarten students to collect kindergarten-entry data.

The Kansas State Board of Education has created the Kansans Can vision for education in Kansas: Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. Education leaders engaged with thousands of Kansans to shape this vision and identify kindergarten readiness as one of five key outcomes to measure progress. Kansas accreditation regulations now require each education system seeking accreditation to have a method of data collection in place approved by the State Board for collecting kindergarten-entry data.

Kansas needed additional information to better understand students’ development when they entered Kindergarten. During the Kansans Can listening tour, Kansans told education leaders that quality early childhood experiences should be a priority, and that school districts should collaborate with community partners in achieving that goal.

The Kansas State Department of Education collaborated with stakeholders to determine key principles for a developmental snapshot tool. Stakeholders established that the Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Tool must include communication (language and literacy), problem-solving, motor, and social-emotional areas of development. They also determined that schools must engage families and caregivers in gathering information about a child’s development and early experiences.

In considering these core principles, KSDE selected Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ®:SE-2) to provide a snapshot of children’s developmental milestones when they enter Kindergarten across the state.

As caregivers know their children best, they complete both versions of the questionnaires.

ASQ-3 addresses five developmental areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving and personal-social.

ASQ:SE-2 addresses seven social-emotional areas: self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive behaviors, autonomy, affect and interaction with people.

ASQ is a tool that is used in many early childhood settings in Kansas, including health care, child care, and community-based preschool.

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN

All accredited schools are required to partner with families to complete both the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 for all incoming kindergarten students prior to September Count Day. If families and schools determine that screening is inappropriate for a particular child, or if families choose to opt out, schools will document that information in the ASQ Online system.

Refer to the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Fact Sheet for key dates and deadlines.

Schools may begin the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot on March 1. Consider the following expectations:

ASQ data will not prevent 5-year-old children from entering kindergarten. Per Kansas law, the only requirement for entry into kindergarten is that a child be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 of the current school year (unless a child has previously attended kindergarten in another state).
The district will follow up with families within 2 weeks of receiving completed screenings. Timely follow-up ensures information shared by families is relevant and demonstrates to families that their time is valuable.
The district will attempt to contact families who complete the ASQ during the springtime but who do not enroll/attend the district at the start of the school year so that KSDE can assist in transferring screenings to the correct new school.
A child’s kindergarten teacher will receive ASQ data prior to the first day of school.

For the purposes of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot, KSDE will only use data on screenings completed on or before the September 20 Count Day and entered into ASQ Online on or before the deadline for data entry. Participation rates will be calculated by comparing the number of students who participated to the number of students reported as enrolled on the September 20 Count Day. However, a teacher is welcome to use ASQ to screen at any point during the school year if that proves useful to the student or family and teacher relationship.