Equity in Kindergarten Readiness

Equity in Kindergarten Readiness

Although the statewide rate of kindergarten readiness has improved somewhat over the past six years (as measured by the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills assessment), this change has not benefitted all racial/ethnic groups equally. The readiness rates for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander children remain substantially below the rates for children from other groups. Readiness rates for all groups have returned to their pre-COVID levels, but Asian and White children continue to have the highest rates of kindergarten readiness and those rates have increased faster than have the rates for other groups. Equity in kindergarten readiness is an outcome indicator for our strategic priority to eliminate racial disproportionality and advance racial equity.

Kindergarten Readiness by Race/Ethnicity, 2015-2024 School Years

  Line graph showing kindergarten readiness by race/ethnicity for the 2015-2024 school years. While the specific percentages have risen somewhat for all groups during that time period, the pattern of readiness among groups is consistent. Asian children are most ready, followed by White children, with children of 2 or more races very close behind. Then there’s a significant gap in readiness, and Black children are the group in the middle of the distribution. There is another gap, albeit a smaller one, between the readiness of Black children and the three groups that follow. American Indian/Alaska Native children, Hispanic/Latino children, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children are less ready than other groups. In 2024, 65% of Asian children, 60% of White children, 60% of children of 2 or more races, 48% of Black children, 41% of American Indian/Alaska Native children, 40% of Hispanic/Latino children, and 37% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children were fully ready for kindergarten.
 
Early Learning
Racial Equity
Strategic Priority Outcome
Eliminate Racial Disproportionality and Advance Racial Equity