Frequently Asked Questions

Does my child have to be screened before entering kindergarten?

The Rhode Island Department of Education recommends that children, between the ages of 3-5, be screened each year prior to kindergarten entry. Click Here to request a screening appointment or if you have questions regarding Child Outreach Screening .

My child attends a Smithfield Child Care facility, but I live in another district. Should I go to my home district for screening?

You have the option of calling your district Child Outreach Coordinator for an appointment or you may decide to have your child screened in their child care setting. Smithfield Child Outreach will screen all children, both in district and out of district students. Your child care director should have contact information for all districts, if you should decide to have your child screened in his/her home district.

I got a rescreen letter. Should I be concerned?

Young children often show differences in their physical well-being and social skills from day to day, and because of this we sometimes request to recheck one or more areas in order to obtain a more accurate picture of their development.  Smithfield residents will have their rescreen scheduled by the Child Outreach Coordinator. Children that reside outside of Smithfield requiring a rescreen will be contacted by the Child Outreach Team from their district of residence to schedule.

What happens if my child does poorly on the rescreen?

The Child Outreach Coordinator and the family will discuss the results and follow up. A referral to the Preschool Team may be recommended to further discuss the area of concern and the need for additional information and next steps. Poor vision and hearing rescreen results may be referred to your doctor for follow-up.

I can't take the time out of work to bring my child in to be screened. What should I do?

We try very hard to accommodate working family's schedules. Early morning appointments are often available. In addition, we go into several area day care and preschool programs located in Smithfield. We offer screening at LaPerche Elementary School three times a year...November, January and March. Paperwork can be mailed home ahead of the screening dates to be completed by parents and brought in by caregivers, if necessary.

My child's doctor/teacher is concerned about my child's development. What should I do?

Contact the Child Outreach Office and discuss their concerns with the Coordinator. A Child Outreach appointment is encouraged to be scheduled to get a baseline of information. Following the review of Child Outreach screening results, a referral to the Preschool Team may be recommended to determine next steps.