1. the developmental level at which a child is prepared to adjust to school.

2. any of a variety of programs designed to prepare children of below kindergarten age for attending formal school by helping them acquire certain skills, such as being able to pay attention to adult-directed tasks for short periods of time, to speak in five- to six-word sentences, and to identify letters of the alphabet. These programs are often referred to as prekindergarten or nursery school.

3. efforts to help communities provide the best environments for children, especially in the areas of health, early education, and school entry. The emphasis is on reducing factors that could detract from children’s readiness to attend school.