Improve Kindergarten Readiness

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The sharp decrease in kindergarten readiness in 2020 can likely be attributed to a change in the population assessed and the timing of the assessment moving from spring to fall. When disaggregated by race and sex, there are marked disparities. For example, about 23.2% of White kindergarteners are assessed as "very ready" compared to 14.9% of African American or Black kindergarteners and 17.6% of Hispanic or Latino kindergarteners.

The overwhelming support of continued funding for Pre-K 4 SA in the November 2020 election and positive student outcomes show San Antonio is on the right track in prioritizing early childhood education. Research shows that children who enter school with early skills, such as a basic knowledge of math and reading, are more likely than their peers to experience academic success in subsequent years and attain higher levels of education.

In addition to language and cognitive skills and communication skills and general knowledge, the EDI measures emotional maturity, which includes the ability to think before acting, a balance between too fearful and too impulsive, an ability to deal with feelings at the age-appropriate level, and empathetic response to other people’s feelings. There is strong evidence linking social-emotional health to subsequent school success and health in preteen and teen years, and to long-term health and wellbeing in adulthood, as well as prevent mental health problems later in life. In 2020, 36.5% of kindergarteners assessed were considered "very ready" in emotional maturity, while 43.3% were considered "on track."

United Way did not administer EDI in the fall of 2020 (school year 2020-2021) due to virtual learning and an over-burdened school system.