Local Students Scored On Kindergarten Readiness

Many Illinois students entering grade school are not "kindergarten-ready," an inaugural study spearheaded by the Illinois State Board of Education and released last week has found. Data from the ISBE's Kindergarten Individual Development Survey found 42 percent of the students surveyed had not reached kindergarten readiness in any of the specified development areas. Meanwhile, 24 percent had reached readiness for social and emotional development, language and literacy and math, according to a news release from the ISBE.

"Opportunity gaps emerge well before kindergarten, and KIDS will help educators, communities, families and policymakers to identify the learning supports children need not just during kindergarten, but in the years before," according to a statement.

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In fall 2017, the Illinois State Board of Education began requiring all Illinois kindergarten teachers to observe and collect data for 14 required measures in the first 40 days of school as students went about their daily classroom routines. The 106,670 kindergarten students surveyed in Illinois, or 81 percent of total students, received the following ratings in the 14 required measures:

• 24 percent demonstrated readiness in all three developmental areas
• 18 percent reached readiness in two developmental areas
• 17 percent reached readiness in one developmental area
• 42 percent did not reach readiness in any developmental areas
• 49 percent of students demonstrated readiness in social and emotional development
• 44 percent of students demonstrated readiness in language and literacy
• 30 percent of students demonstrated readiness in math

Here is how those numbers broke down among local school districts:

The data also showed 32 percent of Asian kindergarten students demonstrated readiness while Hispanic or Latino students were least likely to display readiness--with only 13 percent classified as kindergarten ready, according to the news release. Students who receive additional support through other state and district programs, including Individual Education Plans (IEPs), free and reduced price meals, and identification as an English Learner, are entering kindergarten behind the state average with 11 percent of kindergarteners with an IEP demonstrating readiness; 15 percent of kindergarteners identified as an English Learner (EL) demonstrating readiness and 16 percent of kindergarteners enrolled in free and reduced-price lunch, which requires low-income eligibility, demonstrated readiness.

The data is meant to stress the importance of strong early childhood programs and the early grades in a child’s long-term success. The data, according to the press release, is meant to help:

• public policy makers and advocates in assessing the need for additional early childhood funding and allocate resources
• principals and administrators in improving curriculum and professional learning for teachers
• teachers in informing instructional practice
• early childhood providers in aligning programs to clear expectations around kindergarten readiness
• families in promoting more learning at home

The full report can be found on the Illinois State Board of Education's website.

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