Economics and Education (continued)

In a recent report by First 5 OC, Hispanic/Latino children were 27% less likely to be ready for kindergarten than other racial and ethnic groups. Black children are 8% less likely to be ready for kindergarten. White children are 21% more likely to be ready for kindergarten, and Asian are 26% more likely to be ready.

Disparity in kindergarten readiness of Hispanic/Latino children can be explained by a variety of factors, including lack of access to preschool facilities in predominant Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods, lack of educational resources for monolingual parents, and inability of working class Hispanic/Latino families to access early childhood development and childcare services.

Children’s Likelihood for Being Ready for Kindergarten by Race and Ethnicity

2019

Population Overview

COVID-19

Health and Mortality

Social Determinants of Health

Economics and Education

Built Environment and Social Context

Child care responsibilities among Hispanic/Latino parents with young children have been more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of access to full-time childcare. Research shows that 42% of Hispanic/Latino children live in “child care deserts” with no or overfull early care and education centers. Only 40% of Hispanic/Latino children participate in preschool education programs as compared to 53% of non-Hispanic/Latino Whites. Lack of participation in a preschool program is a main contributor to poor school readiness. Another study found that when starting kindergarten, children who completed preschool programs were significantly more advanced in key areas of development: language and literacy, creativity, music and movement, initiative, and social skills.

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