School Readiness: The Need for a Paradigm Shift

School readiness is receiving increased attention from schools, parents, teachers, and policy makers. This article presents a reflective and critical review of the school readiness construct, the theoretical perspective that has guided practice in the area to date, and the effectiveness of the educational placement options currently available for children deemed to be “unready.” It is argued that the construct of school readiness has suffered from a narrow, maturationist theoretical perspective, which presents the problem as residing solely within the child, with the determination of readiness being the duty of the school systems. The popular practices of delayed entry, retention, and transition classes are not supported by the empirical literature. It is argued that a new theoretical framework and a paradigm shift is needed in the area of school readiness to lead the way to reformed practices. A new perspective based upon Vygotskian sociocultural theory and contemporary developmental theory is offered that presents readiness as a bidirectional process of both the school and the child flexibly adjusting to each other to ensure success. Finally, the implications of such a perspective for school psychologists and educational practice are discussed.