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. The state pays child care providers for the time kids spend in Get Kids Ready, making that part of the day free for families. Important Dates By February 15, 2026 – List of child care providers who submitted an intent to participate will be posted to the DCF website By June 2, 2026 – Final list of approved child care providers will be posted and updated on the DCF website July 1, 2026 – Earliest date that a Get Kids Ready program at your child care provider’s program could start for the 2026-27 school year (talk to the child care provider about their program dates) June 30, 2027 – Last possible day for Get Kids Ready programming at your child care provider’s program for the 2026-27 school year (talk to the child care provider about their program dates) Overview of Get Kids Ready for Parents/Caregivers Yearly Program Get Kids Ready will run every year with child care providers offering school readiness programming between July 1 and June 30. Cost The Get Kids Ready program is free to families. Parents cannot be charged for the hours in which their child is in Get Kids Ready school readiness programming. If your family requires care for hours beyond Get Kids Ready, that is not covered under the Get Kids Ready program and would be an additional expense. Child Care Provider Qualifications In order to be an approved Get Kids Ready provider, participating child care providers must: Be in compliance with all legal, financial, and regulatory requirements imposed by law or by department rule Provide at least 437 hours of instruction in elementary school readiness per school year Use a curriculum that meets the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards Not have a contract with a school district to provide 4K for the school year in which the provider intends to participate in Get Kids Ready Have Lead Teacher delivering Get Kids Ready instruction with an associate or bachelors’ degree Eligibility and Application Process Eligibility Requirements A child is eligible to participate if: They are 4-years-old on or before September 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 Application Process Families that want their child to take part in Get Kids Ready will need to submit an application to the participating child care provider. Participating Child Care Providers By February 15 the Department of Children and Families will post on our website a list of all child care providers that intend to participate in Get Kids Ready, contact information, and the number of spaces available. The list of participating providers will be updated in the spring, after Program Eligibility Verification Applications have been submitted and eligibility has been determined. Frequently Asked Questions Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. Contact Information Still have questions? Please submit a Get Kids Ready Inquiry form.
