Socioeconomic Divide Shapes Early Education in California
New federal data on the school readiness levels of children aged 3 to 5 in California once again highlight the decisive role of socioeconomic inequalities in early childhood education. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, approximately two-thirds of children in the state are considered “ready” to begin kindergarten, while readiness levels vary significantly by family income, race, ethnicity, and gender.
The findings show that school readiness is not limited to a child’s ability to recognize numbers or letters, but encompasses multidimensional areas such as social-emotional development, self-regulation, motor skills, and health. Experts therefore emphasize that the concept of “being ready” should not be treated as a fixed threshold, but rather as a multidimensional and contextual measure.
According to the data, more than 70 percent of White and Asian parents reported that their children are ready for kindergarten, while this rate fell to 61 percent among Hispanic parents. The findings also indicate that readiness increases as family income rises. While 16 percent of families living at or below the federal poverty line reported that their children need additional support to prepare for kindergarten, this rate dropped to 5 percent among high-income families.
Experts point out that poverty directly affects children’s capacity to learn. Limited access to adequate nutrition, stable housing, and quality health care negatively impacts children’s cognitive and emotional development. The sharp increase in child poverty rates in California in recent years has made this issue even more critical. The study also highlighted gender-based differences: while approximately 75 percent of girls are considered ready for kindergarten, this figure fell to below 60 percent for boys.