Kentucky's Common Kindergarten Entry Screener, the BRIGANCE Early Childhood Kindergarten Screen III, provides a quick and accurate assessment of a child's development in five areas: Academic/Cognitive, Language, Development, Physical Development, Self-Help and Social-Emotional Development.
The Common Kindergarten Entry Screener (704 KAR 5:070) is aligned with Kentucky's School Readiness Definition and the Kentucky Early Childhood Standards.
2020 Administration
At its Aug. 6 meeting, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) approved a waiver of the Kindergarten Screen administration and reporting windows as set forth in 704 KAR 5:070.
The waiver removes the restricted screening window of 15 days prior to the first day of school through the 30th instructional day after. Schools may begin screening students at any time and will have more days than customary to screen students. Public reporting, typically in December, could also be moved forward, possibly into 2021.
The KBE also granted authority to the commissioner for exempting schools from screening students who do not attend school in-person. The expanded time frame will likely allow for most students to be screened, but should students not return to school in-person for an extended period, there could be an exemption granted.
There is no virtual administration option for the kindergarten screener. The K Screen administration is available for in-person administration only. Depending on the pandemic situation, the K Screen may be open into 2021. If some or all students return to in-person instruction or other meetings prior to the close of the K Screen, they should be screened. If some students do not return in-person prior to the close of K Screen, they will not have the opportunity to be screened.
Students who return to school in person should be screened following safety expectations provided in the COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools and COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools: Welcoming Students for Orientation and Targeted Services documents and by your local health department.
An exemption process for individual students and waiver process for entire schools will be developed closer to when the K Screen closes.
An exemption process will be developed for individual students to be waived from taking the K Screen through the Student Data Review and Rosters (SDRR) application.
For districts that do not return to in-person sessions, a different process will be developed for the superintendent to request from the commissioner a waiver of the K Screen for entire schools within the district. Until then, if possible, students should be screened.
Training and Resources
Communications - K SCREEN Update
Screener Forms
Ordering Information
The 2020-2021 materials order window has closed. If materials are needed (for example, due to the addition of new kindergarten classrooms), contact dacinfo@education.ky.gov.
KDE DAC Information
Office of Assessment and Accountability
300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-4394