Starting strong: Why kindergarten readiness matters in Boulder Valley

As funding cuts ripple through early childhood education, one summer program is helping local students enter kindergarten with confidence.

A first step toward long-term success

Kindergarten is a foundational year, one that shapes how children feel about school and themselves as learners. But not every child begins on equal footing. Some students are unprepared for the transition to a full-day classroom with new routines, expectations, and unfamiliar faces. Kinder Bridge, a summer program in Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), helps smooth that transition and ensures all students start with the confidence and tools they need to thrive.

Kinder Bridge, also known as Rising K, is a free, full-day summer program. Funded by Impact on Education, it offers a 15-day preview of kindergarten for students who may benefit from more structure or support before the school year begins. A typical day includes breakfast and lunch, math and literacy blocks, specials like art or music, and a lot of time spent learning how school works.

“They get to experience the rhythm of a real school day,” says Heather Bale, a longtime early childhood educator and teacher leader for the program. “But it’s also a chance for teachers and staff to get to know the students, how they learn, what support they might need, and how best to set them up for success in the fall. We can start building relationships with families, connect kids with resources, and make a plan for what will help them thrive once the school year begins.”

Heather Bale, educator and teacher leader for the Rising K program, with students

Preparing every student to start strong

Students are referred to the program based on academic data and teacher recommendations, often because they need a bit more support in areas like math, literacy, or classroom behavior. Others simply need more time to build the social-emotional and academic skills that support classroom learning, like raising a hand to ask a question, lining up for lunch, or understanding how to participate in a group setting.

Without those early experiences, students can begin kindergarten at a disadvantage compared to their peers. These readiness gaps, differences in skills, confidence, and familiarity with school routines, can affect how easily a child adjusts and begins to learn. 

School readiness has long-term benefits. Children who start kindergarten with strong foundational skills perform better on standardized tests in later grades, earn higher GPAs in middle school, and are more likely to graduate high school on time — even when accounting for differences in sociodemographic factors and school context.

“For a lot of these kids, it’s their first time eating lunch in a cafeteria or being away from a parent all day. We’re helping them take that step in a setting that’s supportive and less overwhelming.”

Those needs — and the program’s role in addressing them — are even more important now. 

“It’s a chance to get familiar with school before it counts,” Bale says. “For a lot of these kids, it’s their first time eating lunch in a cafeteria or being away from a parent all day. We’re helping them take that step in a setting that’s supportive and less overwhelming.”

“There’s a perception that all families in Boulder Valley have access to the same opportunities. But that’s just not true. We serve many kids with economic and social challenges. This program helps balance that by giving them a fair start.”

State and federal budget cuts have reduced access to early childhood education across Colorado, including programs like Head Start. In April, the Boulder County Commission stepped in to keep Head Start afloat, approving $2 million in stop-gap funding to run the program for at least one more year after its request for federal funding was denied. But local officials say they aren’t sure how they’re going to fund the program moving forward. That means fewer families may have access to preschool, increasing the risk of inequities at the very start of a child’s education.

“There’s a perception that all families in Boulder Valley have access to the same opportunities,” Bale says. “But that’s just not true. We serve many kids with economic and social challenges. This program helps balance that by giving them a fair start.”

Hopeful outcomes in just 15 days

The results of Kinder Bridge speak for themselves. This year:

• 100% of participants enrolled in BVSD kindergarten.
• 88% met or exceeded readiness benchmarks in literacy, numeracy, and classroom behaviors.
• Over 80% showed improvement in literacy and numeracy over the course of the program.
• There was a 32% increase in students scoring in the exceeding standards range on school readiness benchmarks from week one to week four.
• And a 41% increase in students able to write their name by the end of the session.

“It’s a short program, but it’s a meaningful one. Kids come out of it more confident, more comfortable, and more ready to learn.”

These outcomes point to more than academic growth. They reflect an increased comfort with school and greater confidence heading into a pivotal first year.

“It’s a short program,” Bale says, “but it’s a meaningful one. Kids come out of it more confident, more comfortable, and more ready to learn.”

And that, she adds, benefits everyone — students, teachers, and the entire BVSD community.

BEFORE YOU GO

Impact on Education is an independent non-profit supporting the Boulder Valley School District. We depend on the generosity of our community to put our mission into action.

Will you help us provide opportunities and resources to local students?