OAKLAND, Calif. /California Newswire/ — A study commissioned by First 5 Alameda County, with support from the Interagency Children’s Policy Council (ICPC) and the Thomas J. Long Foundation, reveals that more than half – 55 percent – of Alameda County’s pre-school-age children are “not ready for school” based on measurements of four “Basic Building Blocks of Readiness:” Self-Care and Motor Skills, Self-Regulation, Social Expression, and Kindergarten Academics.
The county-wide assessment of the school readiness levels of new kindergarten students was the first one conducted by Applied Survey Research (ASR) since 2008. The 2013 assessment took place in 14 Alameda County school districts and offers policy makers and educational leaders some of the earliest possible snapshots of children’s well-being and readiness for school across Alameda County.
The findings were presented at a high-level policy forum on Friday, November 7 in Oakland, attended by health, education, policy and early childhood development experts in addition to California State Assemblyman Rob Bonta and Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan.
The report’s findings show that children who enter kindergarten with strong readiness skills tend to have particular characteristics and experiences that help them succeed in kindergarten, and later, with third grade reading scores. Third grade success is particularly important because it is a strong predictor of high school graduation.
Among the factors identified as affecting “school readiness” are gender, the income and education levels of families, whether or not a child has special needs, and access to quality pre-school and other pre-k experiences
“Quality and consistent early learning experiences from birth through kindergarten are critical to children’s ability to be ready to success in school and life,” says Janis Burger, CEO of First 5 Alameda County, a tobacco tax-funded public entity charged with maximizing children’s experiences from birth-to-5. “All the research shows that the achievement gap in our society begins before children enter kindergarten. We have to do everything we can to close that gap and ensure that all children have the best chance to succeed in school and life.”
About First 5 Alameda County
First 5 Alameda County is an innovative public entity established by passage of Proposition 10 (tobacco tax) by California voters in 1998. First 5 has worked with thousands of providers who have helped support the more than 100,000 children birth-to-five and their families in Alameda County. Its goal is that every child in Alameda County is safe, healthy, supported and ready to learn. For more information go to www.first5alameda.org
