If you have a child in Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK), they will soon take the final VPK progress monitoring, known as PM3, of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Star Early Literacy. FAST Star Early Literacy is administered three times during the VPK school year and is a quick way to see what early literacy and numeracy skills your child has gained, what they are ready to learn next, and whether they are ready for kindergarten.
In Florida, children who score 707 or higher on FAST Star Early Literacy at the end of VPK are considered ready for kindergarten. If your child scores as kindergarten ready, encourage them to keep up the good work! Continue to play and read with your child to keep them on solid ground and avoid the “summer slide.”
If your child is not yet kindergarten-ready, there is still time, and there are plenty of resources to help before they enter kindergarten.
Play and read with your child.
Check out the Division of Early Learning’s online resources and select an age group to see examples of activities you can do with your child to help them develop important skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to learn.
Register your child for more support.
Depending on your child’s score on PM3 of FAST Star Early Literacy, your child may be eligible for:
- Free books through the New Worlds Reading Initiative
- Scholarships through Step Up for Students
- Additional instruction through your school district’s Summer Bridge program
Review the FAST Star Early Literacy Parent Report from your child’s VPK teacher for more information.
Reach out if you have concerns.
If you have concerns about your child’s development, speak with your child’s doctor and reach out to a Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System Child Find Specialist to arrange a screening. Early intervention services can make a significant difference.
For more information about FAST Star Early Literacy, please visit our website or email us at [email protected].
