Ballad Health Foundation receives grant to support kindergarten readiness

A $50,000 grant awarded to Ballad Health Foundation will help support kindergarten readiness throughout Northeast Tennessee.

The grant, awarded through the East Tennessee Foundation, will fund a three-year commitment to administer the BRIGANCE® Early Childhood screening test to students in 17 school districts in Northeast Tennessee, many of which do not currently have a screening tool in place. By administering the screening, educators will be able to more accurately gauge the readiness of children entering kindergarten, establishing a baseline score of school readiness that will help school districts make the best decisions to support the needs of students.

The program began in the 2024-2025 school year. Niswonger Foundation is working with the 17 school districts to facilitate the implementation of the screening, which is expected to serve more than 6,000 students across Northeast Tennessee each year.

“Screening students provides a snapshot of a child’s mastery of early development and academic skills, which are crucial for success later in life,” said Dr. Nancy Dishner, president and CEO of the Niswonger Foundation. “Providing this screening can help us anticipate the unique influx of academic, social and behavioral needs that have stemmed from the pandemic, allowing districts to better prepare to support students in their kindergarten year and beyond.”

The program will also help community organizations, childcare centers and preschool programs identify potential deficits in early childhood learning, enabling them to support areas with lower-than-average rates of school readiness. Additionally, screening can help educators identify children who might be developmentally delayed, giving them an opportunity to receive necessary intervention and support earlier than they would have without pre-kindergarten screening.

“The first few years of life are crucial for the development of many skills a person uses throughout their lifetime, so it’s important that we’re able to consistently gauge children to see if there are opportunities or needs and how we can best address them,” said Dr. Paula Masters, chief health disparities officer at Ballad Health. “When our children thrive, our communities thrive and our future shines bright, so it’s vital to support initiatives that foster success in the next generation, and therefore the success of the Appalachian Highlands.”

The full program is expected to cost $400,000 for three years of screening, and Ballad Health has agreed to match dollar-for-dollar all funds raised for the project up to $200,000. The funding will help provide teacher kits, administration manuals in English and Spanish, data sheets and professional learning materials to equip education professionals with the tools they need to support the ever-changing needs of their students.

“Ballad Health Foundation is proud to support any initiative that will improve the quality of life for the people who live in our region, starting with the most vulnerable—our children,” said Jack Simpson, president of Ballad Health Foundation. “Supporting our community means supporting its future engineers, doctors and teachers by ensuring they are set up for success, which will help shape a brighter future for everyone who lives in the Appalachian Highlands.”

The East Tennessee Foundation is a leading philanthropic organization, with more than $420 million in grants awarded to thousands of nonprofits throughout the region. The East Tennessee Foundation awards grants that support community initiatives from Knoxville to Mountain City.

Visit niswongerfoundation.org/about/schoolreadiness to learn more about this initiative.