By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD–Three of every four students entering kindergarten aren’t fully prepared, according to results from the Illinois State Board of Education’s first look at kindergarten readiness.
The Kindergarten Individual Development Study (KIDS) measured students’ development upon entering kindergarten. Jackie Matthews with the Illinois State Board of Education said the data is an important benchmark.
“Children who arrive to kindergarten with higher levels of readiness are actually more successful in grade school, they’re less likely to drop out of school and more likely to graduate,” Matthews said.
She said the results are a powerful argument for better early learning programs and that educators, parents and community leaders can use the information to “advocate not only for increased investments in early learning to expand access, but also to increase quality of early learning programs.”
This is the first year of the statewide effort. Matthews said the study begins with teachers observing students’ daily routines during the first 40 days of school. This includes observation while students are playing, completing schoolwork, holding conversations and following directions.
Matthews said the study documents “students’ behavior, skills and knowledge in three developmental areas and that’s social-emotional development, math and language and literacy.”
The study found that 42 percent of students did not demonstrate any readiness in those three areas. Twenty-four percent displayed readiness in all three areas.
School districts have the option of using the tool again in the winter and spring to track students’ developmental progress.
One takeaway from the KIDS data is how socioeconomic status affects readiness for kindergarten, Matthews said.
“Children who are eligible for free and reduced price lunch are showing up to kindergarten in general levels that are half of what children who are not eligible for free and reduced price lunch are showing up with,” she said.
ISBE will analyze the data for other possible trends or patterns in future years. The study was implemented across Illinois in 2017 after five years of a pilot program in select districts studying more than 50,000 children.
