Early Development Index
Research clearly shows that access to quality early school readiness programs are crucial to setting children on the best trajectory for success in school and life. High-quality early learning experiences lay the foundation for children's long-term success. First Five of Orange County is leading the effort in partnership with the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities to drive meaningful decisions for early childhood education, health, and well-being.
The Early Development Index (EDI) is a measure of children's preparedness for success in Kindergarten and beyond. Administered in the Spring of Kindergarten, the EDI is used to produce community based data of children who are vulnerable or on track in five developmental domains. The five developmental domains measured are
- health and well-being
- social competence
- emotional maturity
- language and cognitive skills
- communication and general knowledge.
The Early Development Index (EDI) data reveals that many Orange County children are not developmentally on-track when they enter Kindergarten.
Similar to other children across Orange County, La Habra's children are vulnerable in the areas of gross and fine motor skills, overall social competence, communication and general knowledge. The data indicates that La Habra's children (newborn to age five) are some of the most developmentally vulnerable in Orange County.
First Five of Orange County, La Habra's Little Learners Task Force, and the La Habra City School District are using the Kindergarten readiness data to educate families and communities about the vulnerabilities of our children, identify systems of support, and develop strategies to create neighborhoods and communities where children thrive!
Getting Your Child Ready for School is a resource for Orange County's families based on the Early Development Index (EDI). This family toolkit provides information and tips to support children's well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, communication and general knowledge. The toolkits are available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese by clicking on the images below.
