Pam Craven, executive director of the Learning Resource Center (LRC), said many kindergarteners in Polk County often start school without basic skills.
Some don’t know their letters or sounds yet. Others struggle to follow directions or focus long enough to complete a task. Many children lack the basic vocabulary they build through everyday conversations and reading at home.
Only 38% of Polk County children were considered ready for kindergarten in 2024, according to data from The Florida Scorecard. Statewide, about 44% of Florida children met the readiness benchmark, showing many Polk students are starting school already behind…