Key Findings
To date, here are some key findings for the evaluation of the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage:
- Participation has grown. The number of individuals served increased 143% between 2021 and 2024. Services reached every Kent County ZIP code by 2023, and the share of incoming kindergarten students who had participated rose from 4% in 2021 to 32% in 2024.
- Students with limited English proficiency showed a positive association. The estimated readiness probability was 28% among Ready by Five participants versus 24% among matched nonparticipants, a statistically significant difference.
- Ready by Five served more than planned in 2025. Programs served 16,767 people—52% above the goal—and 15,520 visits or activities—39% above the goal. Some participation counts include repeat attendance. Family feedback was generally positive, though survey participation varied.
- Readiness declined across the districts studied. The overall readiness rate fell from 53% in fall 2023 to 50% in fall 2024, and was below the 64% recorded in 2017. This is a broader trend, not evidence that Ready by Five caused the decline.
Methodology
Independent researchers review Ready by Five’s data, spending, and contracts to see how many children and families receive services and whether programs met their goals. They also track family feedback and efforts to reach more families.
To understand whether services are reaching the areas with the greatest need, the researchers created a community score using eight factors related to kindergarten readiness. They then mapped those scores alongside estimates of the share of young children reached by the Ready by Five Millage in each ZIP Code, either directly or through services provided to their parents or caregivers.
The methods show how much service was delivered, where it reached families, and how that coverage lined up with community needs.
About the Ready by Five Evaluation
The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage is serving thousands of young children in communities where early investment can have the greatest impact. That is a key takeaway from an independent evaluation conducted by Basis Policy Research and consulting partner Advancing Communities for Equity (ACE).
The independent evaluation assesses the implementation of programs funded by Ready by Five and their impact on children and families across the lifecycle of the millage.
The Ready by Five evaluation addresses the following questions:
- To what extent did Ready by Five providers implement services with fidelity?
- What is the impact of Ready by Five services on participants’ health and academic outcomes?