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Kindergarten readiness is a primary predictor of third grade success in Texas. That’s among the findings in a new statewide education study.
The study was conducted by Michael Villarreal of CML Insight and released by Early Matters San Antonio with partner organizations, including the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, UP Partnership and East Central ISD.
The results show students who enter kindergarten meeting developmental benchmarks in language and literacy perform significantly better by third grade than students who are not kindergarten-ready.
The study included a survey of around 67,000 from across the state. Kinder-ready students scored about 21 to 22 percentage points higher in third grade reading and math proficiency. Third grade reading proficiency rose from 38.7% to 60.7% among students who met kindergarten benchmarks. Math proficiency rose from 32.1% to 53.1%.
To improve early education, the study recommends expanding programs for children aged 0 to 3. It highlights using readiness data to provide targeted tutoring and small-group support to students who need it most.
Mark Larson is executive director of Early Matters San Antonio.
“This all points to that if we are committed to supporting our students in kindergarten through 12th grade, that one of the very best things that we can do is support them between the ages of birth up to the 1st day of kindergarten," Larson told TPR.
Bexar County students who are kindergarten-ready still lag behind kindergarten-ready students statewide in third grade proficiency, indicating a need for continued academic support and targeted interventions.
“About 24% of them are growing up in poverty. That is a higher number, and in some cases significantly higher than some of the other major metros around Texas,” he said.
Larson said his organization was created in part to bolster young children's kinder-readiness.
“Specifically, (we want) to increase the number of kids that will be able to show up as being kinder-ready, through a wide variety of strategies. But we know that in many regards, this is one of the most powerful ways that we can support our K-12 partners, that we can support economic mobility, that we can support economic development, and that we can support, workforce down the road.”
The study also found that readiness is linked to higher daily attendance for students reaching the third grade and suggested that early readiness could be connected to both academic achievement and school engagement.
