Iowa PBS announces 2023-2024 Ready for School communities
Elementary students sit at a table as their teacher points at the white board.

Iowa PBS’s commitment to early childhood education continues with the expansion of its Ready for School initiative. Educational specialists will work with educators, parents, childcare providers and local partners in several Iowa communities to implement STEM and literacy-based activities for children 2 through 5 years old.

“Iowa PBS uses the power of technology and media to spark children’s curiosity and get them interested in learning,” said Iowa PBS Director of Educational Services Ken Harrison. “Ready for School activities are designed to enhance early reading, math, science and social-emotional skills for young children. This roll-out to the 2023-2024 communities furthers Iowa PBS’s efforts to serve families across Iowa with trusted educational content.”  

Iowa PBS’s eleventh year of Ready for School will focus on giving all children equal opportunity to succeed. The organization will provide access to high-quality educational media resources including online games, instructional materials and educational activities that help children increase their school readiness and success. The multimedia content and related activities are based upon the work of educational children’s programming from PBS, such as The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Odd Squad, Molly of Denali, Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Super WHY!.

The initiative is validated by scientifically-based research funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Ready for School has been deployed in 200 other Iowa communities prior to this year.

The 2023-2024 Ready for School communities are associated with the following community school districts:

  • Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton
  • CAM Schools
  • Griswold Community Schools 
  • Riverside 
  • Allamakee
  • Central
  • Clayton Ridge
  • Dunkerton
  • Eastern Allamakee
  • Vinton-Shellsburg