In discussions with the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Arnold Bunch said that in its first year in Hamblen Schools, the Brigance Early Childhood Screen for kindergarten students has revealed that many of the county’s pre-kindergarten students are arriving at school “not ready.”

“This was the first year we have used that,” Bunch said. “It is a nationally-recognized kindergarten screener. It assesses our students as they enter kindergarten on academic and cognitive readiness, language and physical development. Our goal is to find out where our students are and look for opportunities in school and in partnership with parents to intervene and assist those who may be a little bit behind or not quite as well as prepared as others.”

Bunch said that the system takes the results an

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