Only about half of Arkansas’ youngest are prepared for kindergarten, according to a recent study.
The National Survey of Children’s Health, recently released, found that just 53% of the state's children ages 3-5 met the criteria for ‘school readiness.’
This places them 13% below the national average.
Ashley Steed, the state director for the nonprofit Save the Children, explained that school readiness goes beyond knowing letters and numbers.
"It really reflects how well prepared your child is to succeed in school and beyond. So that's looking at fine and gross motor skills, can they hold a pencil, can they use scissors, social and emotional skills, so being able to interact with their peers, being able to be separated from their caregiver, self-care skills...”
The survey was conducted by the U-S Department of Health and Human Services.
Steed says in Arkansas, income inequality plays a major factor in the results.
"Arkansas children from lower income families lag behind their wealthier peers by 21%. Like, you think about children in rural areas that are also suffering from access gaps. Not just access to high-quality education opportunities or early learning educational opportunities, but access to social interactions.”
Steed says the best way for parents to improve the statistic is to supplement regular learning activities with teaching moments woven into the daily routine.
"Make designated time to interact with your child on a regular basis. Talk when you're driving down the road about the signs, the shapes. When you're in the grocery store you can count items. It's that, in their everyday activities incorporating interactions with your child really does make a difference.”
She adds that while learning gaps can be addressed throughout a child’s development, the earliest years are crucial to setting the stage for better educational outcomes later in life.
"If you have a child that is already falling behind when they enter kindergarten at five, we know that 90% of a child's brain development occurs in the first six years of life. So that's why it's important, why we know that those early learning years are so vital and so crucial for a child’s development.”
Arkansas Save the Children is a nonprofit that focuses on improving children’s health and educational development throughout the state, especially in rural communities.
You can learn more at SavetheChildren.org.
