Get your kids ready for elementary school! Información en español What is school readiness? In simple terms, school readiness means a child is ready to go to school. Get Kids Ready is a state-funded school readiness program that helps 4-year-olds prepare for the transition from child care or home to a school setting. Through Get Kids Ready, qualified child care providers focus on developing the academic, physical, social-emotional, self-help skills, and much more that kids will need to succeed in school. The state pays child care providers for the time kids spend in Get Kids Ready, making that part of the day free for families. Frequently Asked Questions General When Does Get Kids Ready start? The Get Kids Ready program will begin during the 2026-27 school year. Will the Get Kids Ready program continue beyond the 2026-27 school year? Yes. According to current law, the Get Kids Ready program will continue beyond the 2026-27 school year. The program is intended to continue year after year. Can child care providers charge fees, such as snack fees, field trip fees, or supply fees for participation in Get Kids Ready? No. Child care providers cannot charge fees such as snack, field trip, or supply fees for participation in Get Kids Ready. Participating providers will receive state funding for costs associated with Get Kids Ready instruction. Providers can charge fees to children participating in Get Kids Ready for hours or activities outside of Get Kids Ready hours. Can a child participate in Get Kids Ready at a child care provider and also attend school district-provided 4K? Yes. A child can participate in Get Kids Ready at a child care provider and also attend a school district-provided 4K program. For example, a child can attend a district 4K program in the morning and also attend a Get Kids Ready program at a child care provider in the afternoon. However, a child care provider cannot participate in both Get Kids Ready and have. Community 4K contact with a district. Where can questions about Get Kids Ready be directed? All questions can be sent to dcfgetkidsready@wisconsin.gov. Staff will review your question and respond as soon as possible. Eligibility Which children can participate in Get Kids Ready? A child is eligible to participate if: They are 4 on or before Sept 1 of the school year they plan to participate The child’s parent or guardian submits an application to participate in the program, on a form prepared by DCF, to a participating provider A participating child care provider has accepted the child’s application to attend Get Kids Ready How old does my child need to be? Your child must be 4 years old on or before September 1 of the school year they plan to participate. Enrollment How do I sign my child up? Families that want their child to take part in Get Kids Ready will need to submit an application to the participating child care provider. Does it cost money? No! Parents cannot be charged for the hours in which their child is in Get Kids Ready school readiness programming. If your family requires wrap-around (before/after) care, that is not covered under the Get Kids Ready program and would be an additional expense. When can child care providers start enrolling children in Get Kids Ready? Child care providers can begin enrolling children for Get Kids Ready at any time, but services cannot begin until after July 1, 2026. However, DCF will not be able to verify child care provider eligibility until the Program Eligibility Verification Application is submitted by May 15, 2026. DCF will make eligibility determinations on a rolling basis and no later than June 2, 2026. We encourage providers to be confident that they meet all eligibility requirements before beginning enrollment. Do children need to be enrolled in Get Kids Ready by a certain date? No. Providers have a maximum number of slots, which is established in the Intent to Participate, but a child can enroll at any time by completing the Child Application as long as the provider has available slots and accepts the Child Application. Enrollment can be verified by attendance records. How do I know which child care providers are participating? By February 15 the Department of Children and Families will post on our website a list of all participating child care providers, contact information, and the number of spaces available. Wisconsin Shares Can a child get Wisconsin Shares authorization for the hours they're participating in Get Kids Ready? Yes. Get Kids Ready hours may be included in the child’s Wisconsin Shares authorization. Miscellaneous Will a kindergarten readiness assessment, or any other assessment, be required for children participating in Get Kids Ready? No. Wisconsin does not have a kindergarten readiness assessment. There is no assessment required for children participating in Get Kids Ready. Child care providers may choose to implement assessments, but it is not required for participation in Get Kids Ready. Is a child participating in Get Kids Ready required to participate in a statewide fundamental literacy skills screener under 2023 Wisconsin Act 20? No. Children participating in Get Kids Ready are not required to participate in a statewide fundamental literacy skills screener under 2023 WI Act 20. Under Wis. Stat. §118.016(2), only children participating in a 4K or 4K Community Approach program at a school district or independent charter school are required to participate in a statewide fundamental literacy skills screening. Will 2023 WI Act 20 professional learning requirements be required of Get Kids Ready teachers? No. Act 20 professional learning requirements are not required of Get Kids Ready teachers. Still have questions? Please contact the Get Kids Ready team at dcfgetkidsready@wisconsin.gov.
