The Ohio Department of Education developed an assessment tool, the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment – Literacy (KRA-L), that helps teachers identify early reading skills. The KRA-L is required of all children entering kindergarten in public schools for the first time. This is a quick screening instrument that assesses oral language, rhyming, letter identification and alliteration – elements identified through research as being essential for reading.

Scoring is broken down into three groups, with "Band 3" being the highest level. Children from low-income families, with disabilities and English-language learners tend to perform lower on the KRA-L than their peers. Children scoring in Band 3 are high performers.