Early Childhood Screening
The early childhood years from birth to the start of kindergarten are an important time of rapid learning and growth. Early Childhood Screening is a free, quick, and simple check of how 3-to-5-year-old children are developing in the years before kindergarten, and it is required for entrance into all Minnesota public schools.
Screening includes a check of your child’s hearing, vision, coordination, speech, learning development, and social and emotional skills. It provides an opportunity for parents to learn more about kindergarten readiness, ask questions about their child’s development, and learn about resources in the school and community.
In some cases, needs are identified that may require attention to help a child get the best possible start in school, so it is important to have your child screened as soon as possible after turning 3. The screening is not a kindergarten entrance “test,” and the activities are like games, so children of every age can have fun! Since expectations are adjusted for each child’s age, there is no advantage in waiting until a child is older to be screened; in fact, the opposite is true.
Early Childhood Screening is free. If your child is 3, 4 or 5 and has not been screened, please call your resident school district today to schedule an appointment:
- Grand Rapids: 218-327-5730
- Deer River: 218-246-8860, ext. 60412
- Greenway: 218-245-6604
- Hill City: 218-697-2394, ext. 102
- Nashwauk/Keewatin: 218-885-1280, ext. 51154