Source:
Children begin learning the moment they’re born, offering educators the opportunity to ensure achievement gaps never emerge.
Children begin learning at birth, which offers both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity lies in our ability to begin setting them up for academic success immediately. And many families do just this, by talking to them, reading to them, and otherwise exposing them to a literature-rich environment from day one.
The challenge lies in the fact that the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and their more privileged peers also begins to grow from day one. Children growing up in poverty tend to be exposed to less literature and a more limited vocabulary—and sometimes even less conversation in their early lives. And, in fact, we can see evidence of the achievement gap as early as kindergarten.
But what would happen if there were no achievement gap when kids entered kindergarten? What if every student started school kindergarten ready and on an even playing field?
For one thing, the future would be much brighter for a lot of students. A recent meta-analysis found that students who participated in a high-quality early childhood education program were more likely to graduate on time, less likely to be placed in special education, and less likely to be retained to repeat a grade—all of which benefits students and reduces long-term costs for school districts.
In my district, Marion County School District, we believe in doing everything we can to ensure every student begins school kindergarten-ready. In an economically distressed county, it is no easy task, but with committed partners and focused determination, we’re off to a great start.