​​​​The GKIDS Readiness Check Parent Resource Website is now available!

GKIDSReadinessCheck.GaDOE.org​

The GKIDS Readiness Check is a new component of the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS). It is designed to be administered during the first six weeks of the kindergarten year. The GKIDS Readiness Check is aligned to the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS​) and correlated to the state mandated content standards for kindergarten. The goal of the assessment is to provide information about the skills of students entering kindergarten. 

Purpose

The primary purpose of the GKIDS Readiness Check is to highlight knowledge and skills critical for student success in learning – solely to guide instruction.

The GKIDS Readiness Check is designed to be developmentally appropriate, reflecting research-based best practices for young learners, and will provide information that allows kindergarten teachers to individualize student instruction.

Domains of Learning

There are three areas or domains of learning assessed by the GKIDS Readiness Check:

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Foundations of School Success​

This domain includes students’ approaches to learning, social and emotional development, and physical development and development of motor skills. These attributes and skills, while often viewed as non-academic, are leading indicators of students’ progression towards future academic success. 

• Engages in independent activities and continues tasks over a period of time.​​
• Independently follows rules and routines.
• Plays cooperatively with a few peers for a sustained period of time.
• Uses senses to observe, classify, and learn about objects and environment.
• Makes statements and appropriately answers questions about how objects/materials can be used to solved problems.
• Effectively uses words, sentences, and actions to communicate needs, ideas, opinions, and preferences.
• Performs fine-motor tasks that require small-muscle strength and control.​ 

English Language Arts

This domain includes children’s early language and literacy development. These skills are foundational for fluent and effective communication and literacy skills such as reading and writing. 

• ​Listens and differentiates between sounds that are the same and different.
• Recognizes and ​names some upper case letters of the alphabet.
• Recognizes and names some lower case letters of the alphabet.
• Tracks words from left to right, top to bottom, and page to page.
• Draws pictures and copies letters and/or numbers to communicate.
• Listens to and follows multi-step directions.
• Uses spoken language that can be understood with ease.
• Uses writing tools.

Mathe​matics

This domain includes an understanding of shapes and spatial relationships, problem solving, identifying similarities and differences, and basic numeracy concepts.

• ​​​Recites numbers up to 20 in sequence.
• Counts at least 10 objects using one-to-one correspondence.
  
• Recognizes numerals (0 – 9).
  
•  Sorts and classifies objects using one or more attributes or ​relationships
  
•  Recognizes and names common two-dimensional shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle).​​
  

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Assessment activities for the GKIDS Readiness Check are designed to allow some flexibility for the teacher during administration. Common classroom materials may be used for most activities. For some skills, teachers may assess by observing student performance during the course of regular classroom instruction.

Testing Window

The testing window for the GKIDS Readiness Check is the first six weeks of the kindergarten year. This six-week window will vary across districts, depending on the start date of the school year. Teachers may administer assessment activities at any time during this window. There is no prescribed order of activities.

Parent Resources

A parent resource website is available to provide additional information on the GKIDS Readiness Check, including resources to further guide and support students at home. 

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