The Ready-to-Learn program: a school-based model of nurse practitioner participation in evaluating school failure

The Ready-to-Learn program, a school-based initiative begun in 1994 in three inner-city elementary schools in Hartford, Conn., provides medical input and medical-educational collaboration in the evaluation and treatment of children experiencing learning and behavior problems. The program is staffed by two specially trained nurse practitioners, with consultation provided by pediatricians and a child psychologist. During its first year of operation, pediatric assessment was performed on 57 students at all three schools. Data analysis indicates that children were referred to the program for a broad range of concerns, that assessments were completed in a timely fashion, and that a variety of diagnoses were identified. Feedback from school personnel and parents suggests that the program offers a unique and valued pediatric perspective to the evaluation of school failure. Future plans include a more formal evaluation of the program's cost and effectiveness.