Kindergarten Readiness: Building the Foundation for a Strong Start
For many families, the first day of kindergarten marks a proud beginning. But behind that moment is a deeper reality that often goes unseen: kindergarten readiness is one of the most influential predictors of a child’s long-term success. It is not only about learning letters or numbers. It is about building early relationships among families, educators and pre-K providers and making sure schools have the information and support they need before the year begins.
United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania has spent more than two decades strengthening that ecosystem. By investing in transition grants, early literacy initiatives and pre-K access, United Way is helping districts and pre-K providers prepare children to start strong and stay strong.
Why Kindergarten Readiness Matters
Kindergarten readiness is rooted in connection. It involves helping families understand expectations, preparing children for new routines and creating a coordinated path between early learning and elementary school. When that path is strong, the transition becomes smoother, more joyful and far more effective.
Ask any kindergarten teacher: the readiness gap is real. In one classroom, you may see children with a wide variety of abilities when it comes to early reading and comfort level in a classroom. “You’ve got 20-plus kids coming into your class. Some of them can identify all their letters and some struggle to identify any,” said United Way’s Jesse Sprajcar. “That’s why readiness matters. Early connections let teachers know what supports to put in place before school begins.”
That philosophy has shaped United Way’s approach. Through kindergarten transition grants distributed across five counties, schools receive support to host spring readiness events, create family engagement nights, coordinate with pre-K providers and build systems for early registration. These efforts ensure parents can learn what their child may need to work on over the summer and help schools prepare for the range of abilities they will see on day one.
The Power of Partnership and Shared Learning
Schools do not do this work alone. United Way plays a central role in connecting districts to one another and to resources that make transition work stronger and more consistent.
Michael Matteo, principal at Gateway Elementary, has seen this firsthand. Before joining the Hi5! Partnership, each school in his district used different screening tools and practices. The partnership, which United Way supports alongside Trying Together and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, offered something districts often lacked: a shared learning community.
“We were looking for new approaches, and this was the place to go,” Matteo said. “What really made a difference was the networking. Learning from other districts and seeing what works.”
United Way’s model makes this possible. Every year, school districts submit kindergarten transition plans that outline how they will promote early registration, engage families, partner with pre-K programs and prepare for the upcoming year. Those plans are shared across districts, creating a regional hub of best practices. Matteo says the plans help schools stay focused and ensure they do not lose touch with important community partners. “It keeps us aligned with our pre-K providers and helps us support them with materials and guidance. We all benefit.”
The collaboration has sparked creative outreach efforts, from family readiness camps to social media campaigns to simple ideas like taping registration flyers to pizza boxes. United Way’s support helps districts test new strategies, share results and continually improve their approach.
Real Impact for Children and Schools
The results show what coordinated readiness efforts can achieve. In 2010, some Allegheny County districts had early or on-time kindergarten registration rates as low as 13%. Today, thanks to sustained collaboration and consistent investment, the countywide average for on time registration has reached 95%.
United Way’s role extends beyond registration. Through Educational Improvement Tax Credit funding, United Way supports Raising Readers clubs, brings volunteer readers into classrooms and offers pre-K scholarships to help more families access high-quality early learning. United Way has also invested in phonemic awareness tools for pre-K and kindergarten classrooms, helping schools strengthen early literacy from day one.
For principals like Matteo, these supports matter. He recalls a student who attended Head Start in the elementary building before entering kindergarten. “He was the mayor of the school,” Matteo said. “He knew the building and the routines. His transition was seamless.” For Matteo, this illustrates how early exposure, strong pre-K partnerships and consistent readiness activities can change the trajectory of a child’s experience.
Even modest funding, such as United Way’s $500 district transition grants, gives schools the ability to host another readiness night, purchase materials or reach families who may otherwise be missed.
A Community Effort with a Clear Purpose
United Way’s work is grounded in one goal: building a connected pathway so every child enters kindergarten ready to thrive. By supporting school districts, empowering educators and strengthening relationships with pre-K providers, United Way is helping ensure that readiness is not left to chance. Instead, it becomes a shared community commitment and a powerful driver of lifelong success.