Pre-K · Ages 4 – 5
Will my child be ready for kindergarten?
Ohio assesses every kindergartner within the first weeks of school. This page covers what that assessment measures, how our Pre-K program prepares children for it, and how full-day child care compares with a district preschool program.
How our Pre-K program is structured
Ohio's learning standards, the state quality rating system, and full-day, year-round hours.
The same state standards
Through The Creative Curriculum, our classrooms follow the same Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards that guide the state's public preschool classrooms.
The same quality rating system
All Around Children participates in Step Up To Quality, Ohio's rating system for early learning programs. District preschools are rated under the same system.
Full day, all year
Centers open as early as 5:30 AM and close as late as 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday, year round, including weeks when school calendars are closed. Hours vary by location.
Assessment areas and classroom practice
The assessment covers four areas.
Language and literacy
Assessed by Ohio
Listening and understanding, vocabulary, letter and sound knowledge, and early print awareness.
In our classrooms
Daily read-alouds and conversation, letter names and sounds, rhyming and syllables, name writing, and print throughout the room, including labels, sign-in sheets, and children's dictated stories.
Mathematics
Assessed by Ohio
Counting, number recognition, comparing quantities, shapes, and simple patterns.
In our classrooms
Counting with concrete materials such as snack cups, blocks, and calendar days. Sorting, patterning, measuring, and shape work through hands-on materials rather than worksheets.
Social foundations
Assessed by Ohio
Attention, persistence, following directions, self-regulation, and getting along with other children.
In our classrooms
Small-group practice throughout the day in turn-taking, resolving disagreements verbally, persisting with a difficult task, cleaning up, and following multi-step directions without prompting.
Physical well-being and motor development
Assessed by Ohio
Gross motor coordination, fine motor control, and healthy self-care habits.
In our classrooms
Daily outdoor play when weather permits, plus fine-motor work that supports later writing: scissors, tongs, beading, clay, and pencil control.
These skills are taught through play, conversation, and repetition rather than test preparation, consistent with The Creative Curriculum's approach.
The Pre-K year, term by term
Skills build in sequence across the Pre-K year.
August – November
Fall
Routines, transitions, and classroom independence.
- Separating at drop-off with confidence
- Learning classroom routines and transitions
- Recognizing their own written name
- Counting to 10 and beyond with meaning
- Joining a group activity and staying with it
December – March
Winter
Letter sounds, early writing, and number concepts.
- Letter names and the sounds they make
- Hearing rhymes and beginning sounds
- Writing their name, then other letters
- Sorting, patterning, and comparing quantities
- Solving a disagreement with words first
April – July
Spring
Task persistence, self-management, and transition to kindergarten.
- Sitting with a task long enough to finish it
- Following multi-step directions unprompted
- Managing coat, lunch, and bathroom independently
- Asking an adult for help when they need it
- Familiarity with what kindergarten involves
How progress is documented
Four ways families receive information about their child's development.
A kindergarten-readiness portfolio
Teachers compile work samples, observations, and photographs across the Pre-K year, documenting growth in each assessment area. Families keep the portfolio.
Conferences twice a year
Scheduled twice a year to review the portfolio and identify which skills are secure and which need continued work.
Daily photos and notes
Photos, milestone notes, and daily updates are sent through the family app.
Developmental check-ins
Regular observations across every learning domain, recorded as they occur. No standardized testing is administered in Pre-K.
Three ways to cover the week
A comparison across the full week rather than the classroom day alone.
| What to compare | District pre-K on its own | District pre-K plus child care | All Around Children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours covered | Part of the school day | A full working day, across two places | A full working day, in one place |
| Breaks and snow days | Not covered | Covered by the care provider, subject to space | Open |
| Drop-offs each morning | One | Two | One |
| Summer | Not covered | Depends on the provider | Summer camp at every center |
| Younger siblings | Cared for somewhere else | Possibly with the same provider | Same building, same drop-off |
| Learning standards | Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards | The same standards, at the school | The same standards, through The Creative Curriculum |
| Cost | Often free or low cost | Free or low cost, plus fees for the care hours | Tuition, with assistance available |
| The year after | Program ends in May | Care continues, school changes | Before and after school care, plus summer camp |
Families using a voucher or publicly funded child care should confirm with their caseworker before changing schedules, since authorization can depend on the hours of care.
Cost
Tuition and financial assistance
Several programs reduce or cover the cost of care. Eligibility depends on household size and income.
Assistance programs
- Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC)
- Ohio's Child Care Choice Voucher Program
- The Family Start Grant offers up to $500 in enrollment credit for new families
Frequently asked questions
Come see a Pre-K classroom.
Tours run during regular program hours. Center directors can answer questions about schedules, availability, and tuition.
Enrolled families can request their child's readiness portfolio from their center director.