GAO Finds Less Than Half of Students Ready for Kindergarten in Five States

The U.S. Government Accountability Office on Thursday reported that fewer than half of students in five selected states were ready for kindergarten. The report analyzed kindergarten entry assessment data from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and Ohio for the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 school years.

Kindergarten is the main entry point to public school, and early elementary years are critical for building a foundation for future academic success, according to the GAO. The agency said this foundation supports the nation’s economic strength, national security, and civic health.

While there is no common definition of readiness across states, the GAO noted it generally refers to literacy, math, motor, and social skills needed to succeed in school. Readiness rates across the five states varied by developmental area, school district urbanicity, and student demographics.

Asian, White, and non-economically disadvantaged students were ready more often than other groups in the selected states, the report said. English learners and students with disabilities were ready less often. Higher-poverty school districts were associated with lower readiness in four of the five states.

The GAO also reviewed 11 peer-reviewed research studies examining the link between publicly funded preschool attendance and kindergarten readiness since the 2015-2016 school year. Ten studies found positive associations between preschool programs and kindergarten literacy scores, while seven of the studies that assessed math scores found positive associations. One study found no evidence of an effect in either area.

The agency’s analysis found that school districts with higher enrollment in public or private preschool had higher kindergarten readiness in three of the five states. The studies also suggested public preschool programs affect demographic groups differently; one study in Virginia found that English learners and children from lower-income families benefited more from a public preschool program than non-English learners and higher-income children.