The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) released county-specific early childhood data profiles today aimed at highlighting barriers to school readiness. For the first time, these data profiles provide fuller data about every county in the state, thanks to results from a new kindergarten screener used in every school district last fall.

The Early Childhood Profiles, produced by the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS), are compiled to help community leaders, Community Early Childhood Councils and school districts with data to assist in developing local strategies for helping every child in their community arrive at kindergarten ready to do kindergarten work.

“Better preparing children for school has positive long-term effects on school achievement,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “The Early Childhood Profile is a tool that can help communities assure that every child in the Commonwealth gets the best possible start in life.”

The reports include information about the quality and availability of child care, results from the 2013 statewide kindergarten screener and information about participation in publicly funded preschool, Head Start and child care.

Finally, demographic data, participation in public health and social service programs, and key indicators of possible obstacles to success for young children and their families are also provided on the profiles.

“It is our hope that this compilation of data will create local dialogue and inform local action to improve results for our youngest children,” said Terry Tolan, executive director of the GOEC.

According to Tolan, the Early Childhood Profile can help change the conversation in each community in Kentucky so that every child will enter school ready to succeed; every parent will know what their child needs to be ready for school; and every community will come together in support of their youngest children.

This is the second year the Early Childhood Profiles were released by the GOEC in partnership with KCEWS, the Kentucky Department of Education and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The 2014 Early Childhood Profiles can be accessed at http://kidsnow.ky.gov/School%20Readiness/Pages/profiles.aspx.

For more information about the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood or the Early Childhood Profile, visit http://kidsnow.ky.gov. You can also follow on Twitter @KYGEOC.

The role of KCEWS is to collect information about education and workforce at all levels to better inform policymaking statewide. It maintains the Kentucky Longitudinal Data System which securely links information from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB), the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. For more information, go to http://kcews.ky.gov.