One in Five Kids Not Ready for Kindergarten in Contra Costa County, New Report Show

First 5 Urges School Districts, Counties to Expand Access to Early Childhood Programs

One out of five children in Contra Costa County is not ready for school when they begin kindergarten. And kindergarten readiness ranges a lot – from 80% to 30% — depending on where families live.

These are among the findings from the first county-wide assessment of kindergarten readiness in Contra Costa, Ready or Not, Here We Come!, which will be released May 24 at an event for county elected officials, school leaders, and other invited guests.

Less than half of children in the county exhibit all the essential necessary skills and behaviors, such as recognizing shapes and letters, following directions, and expressing empathy. Thirty-five percent of children are “partially ready,” meaning they demonstrate proficiency in some of the necessary skills. Twenty-two percent of children were scored as “not ready.”

“This report underscores how important supports for families with young children are. Parents are doing a lot to help their kids be ready for school, but not everyone has all the resources necessary to make that easy,” said Sean Casey, Executive Director of First 5 Contra Costa. “Ensuring all kids are ready to be successful in school is a responsibility all of us share.”

The report points to factors that affect children’s readiness for school, such as household income. Just 26% of children who live in households with incomes of less than $50,000 are fully ready for school, compared to 56% of children whose household incomes are higher. Different districts in the county also showed widely varying readiness scores, with those in more affluent parts of the county scoring much higher.

Statistical tests were used to determine which factors and characteristics are most likely to predict whether a child is ready for school. The most powerful influencer of kindergarten readiness is a child’s well-being. Those who were perceived by their teachers to be hungry or tired had readiness levels that were lower than their peers without those well-being concerns.

Attending transitional kindergarten or pre-school also boosts readiness, particularly for kids from low-income families with less-educated parents.

First 5 Contra Costa urges school districts to expand access to early childhood programs, and build bridges between child care programs and their schools. Cities can also play a role by starting preschools, improving parks and encouraging families to use their local libraries.

Overall, First 5 urges the county to prioritize children in funding decisions and expand early childhood programs. Additional policy recommendations for school districts, cities, and the county to improve school readiness can be found in the report.

Policy Breakfast: Coffee & Kids

The report is being released as part of First 5 Contra Costa’s inaugural Coffee & Kids policy breakfast—a gathering of elected officials, school leaders, and other county decision makers. Speakers at the event will include Supervisor John Gioia; Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata; parent and child advocate Rochella Mendoza; and First 5 Contra Costa Executive Director Sean Casey.  The event will be held May 24^th, 8:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill.

For more information about the report or event—or if you wish to attend the event for your media outlet— please contact Sarah Crow at [email protected].

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About First 5 Contra Costa

First 5 Contra Costa invests in programs and advocates for policies focused on children during their first five years, the most important time in children’s development. Since 2000, First 5 Contra Costa has invested more than $140 million in Proposition 10 tobacco tax funds to help Contra Costa’s children get the best start in life.

Learn more: www.first5coco.org.