More than 750 government and non-government schools across the nation will take part in the survey, which will be used to create the Australian Early Development Index.
The index provides a snapshot of the health, social skills, emotional maturity, language ability and general knowledge of five-years-olds.
"It's a vital tool for educators, governments and the community, as it helps us understand the importance of early intervention and provides information about the support children and families need," Federal Education Minister Peter Garrett said in Canberra on Tuesday.
The data, first collated in 2009, is gathered by kindergarten teachers.
The 2009 survey found children living in very remote areas, in particular indigenous Australians from low socio-economic backgrounds, tended to perform far worse than others.
In 2012, data will be collected from May to July 31, at a cost of $28 million.
Results are expected in 2013.
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