[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 116 (Friday, July 29, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S5067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE READY SCHOOLS ACT

  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, August marks the start of a new 
school year for more than 1.8 million students in Ohio. It is a time of 
excitement and nervousness as students prepare for challenging classes, 
different classmates, and new teachers.
  As the summer winds down, high school students are cramming in the 
summer reading that they pushed off in favor of a bike ride with 
friends or a game of baseball. Middle school students are crossing 
their fingers in hopes that their best friend from the last school year 
is in their class this year. And soon-to-be kindergarteners are 
practicing their numbers and letters in preparation of their first day 
of elementary school.
  Student readiness for kindergarten is generally defined by the Ohio 
School Readiness Initiative as a child who has age-appropriate 
cognitive and social skills and a healthy mind and body. Student 
readiness can be fostered through a child's participation in high-
quality and developmentally appropriate preschool programs like Head 
Start. These programs are important because if a child is not prepared 
for elementary school, they are more likely to fall behind their 
better-prepared peers and remain behind as they progress through 
school.
  However, it is equally important that schools are prepared to accept 
and support all students as they arrive at the schoolhouse door. 
Student readiness also means school readiness.
  That is why I am introducing The Ready Schools Act of 2011 with my 
colleague Senator Kay R. Hagan of North Carolina. This legislation 
incorporates the recommendations of a report conducted by the 
congressionally commissioned National Education Goals Panel, which 
states that elementary ``school readiness'' involves not only preparing 
each child for school, but also preparing schools to support each 
child's learning and development needs.
  The Ready Schools Act of 2011 would require title 1 eligible Local 
Educational Agencies to work with their elementary schools to develop a 
ready-school needs review. This review would focus on ways an 
elementary school can develop policies that would create a positive 
school environment. It would help teachers provide students with 
developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculums. Finally, it 
would empower collaboration with early childhood education providers in 
the school attendance area to ensure a smooth transition from preschool 
to elementary school.
  In my State of Ohio, the SPARK Ohio partnership has led the way in an 
effort to make every school a ``ready'' school. Through a strong 
partnership comprised of the Sisters of Charity, the Ohio Department of 
Education, the WK Kellogg Foundation and others, SPARK Ohio has helped 
developed a ``ready'' school needs review that is now a national model. 
I am proud of these efforts, and the hard work of the students, 
administrators, teachers, and families that have ensured the success of 
the more than 40 ``ready'' schools in Ohio.
  The Ready Schools Act is about more than making our schools the best 
they can be. It is about making Ohio, and all States in the Nation, the 
best they can be. By strengthening the alignment and delivery of early 
education, our youngest students can continue on a path of academic and 
life achievement. Research shows that third-grade reading skills can 
serve as an indicator of whether or not a student will graduate from 
high school. And not only is school readiness an educational 
imperative, it is an economic one as well. High school students 
dropping out from the class of 2010 alone will cause the State of Ohio 
over $10 billion in lower lifetime earnings, higher health care costs, 
and crime related costs.
  The building blocks critical to a lifetime of learning are laid 
during the elementary school years. This is why I am proud to introduce 
the Ready Schools Act. It will not only improve our system of education 
but will ultimately lead to a stronger nation.

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