Smart Start Program Builds School Readiness One Backpack at a Time

What if everything you needed to get your child ready for kindergarten could fit inside of a backpack?  

➡️ What’s new:  

• The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is piloting the “Smart Start Family Engagement Backpack Program,” a collaborative project aimed at strengthening school readiness before kindergarten begins. 

• Developed in partnership with Douglas County West Community Schools, the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, the program is funded as part of the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan and provides families with a one-week take-home experience filled with hands-on activities that make early learning both engaging and accessible. 

💡 Why it matters:  

• Research shows that strong parent-child interactions and early exposure to language, motor, and social-emotional skills can significantly boost a child’s development before kindergarten.  

• By bringing play-based learning tools into the home, this initiative helps ensure that more children arrive at school ready to learn. 

• The Superintendents’ Plan works with districts across the region to help close opportunity gaps; this program helps support the ongoing work at DC West focused on strong transitions to kindergarten for both children and their families.

🧩 How it works:  

• Families bring home a backpack filled with hands on activities like a bridge building challenge or nature scavenger hunt prepared by Drs. Snyder and Dinkel and explore the materials inside over the course of a week, choosing the activities that best fit their child’s interests and daily routines. 

• It’s flexible, fun, and focused on helping young learners gain the foundational skills they’ll need before stepping into the classroom. 

🔎 Zoom in:  

• A 2024 study found that students who were "on-track" for kindergarten readiness scored on average 5.08 points higher on the ACT in 11th grade and 4.3 points higher in 12th grade than those who were not on-track. 

• Another 2024 study found that 90.5% of children who demonstrated kindergarten readiness in 2014 scored proficient or higher on the state mathematics test in third grade. 

🎤 What they’re saying: 

• Kailey Snyder, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UNO School of Health & Kinesiology, lead investigator on the project: “Collaborations like Smart Start are exactly what community-engaged scholarship looks like. At UNO, we’re driven by a ‘think global, act local’ mindset and this project embodies that mission. By bringing our research and expertise into real homes and real lives, we’re supporting children’s early development and preparing the next generation to be thoughtful, impactful leaders in their communities.” 

• Amy Schmidtke, Ed.D., Director of Educational Practices, Buffett Early Childhood Institute: “Smart Start helps young learners build the skills they need to succeed in school, but its impact goes far beyond academics. This project creates space for families to laugh, learn, and grow together. It’s about readiness, it’s about relationships, and it’s about building memories and connections that can last a lifetime. We’re grateful for the Learning Community funding to advance early childhood programming across school districts in our region.”

🌎 The big picture: Smart Start reflects UNO’s broader commitment to early childhood development community engagement. It’s an example of how the university is applying research to real-world needs. 

⚡ What’s next: The pilot program will run through May 2025. As UNO gathers insights from participating families, researchers and partners will refine the program—with an eye toward expanding it to other districts.