Kindergarten Readiness and Black Youth on Galveston Island

The success of students in the education system is highly influenced by early childhood factors. The most prominent factor that plays a role in the success of students in the first few years of their life is kindergarten readiness. Kindergarten readiness refers to the knowledge that a child obtains both in the home and in early child hood centers that prepares them for success in kindergarten and furthermore in the education system. High levels of success in kindergarten is frequently correlated with parental involvement in the home and attendance at early childhood pre k centers. Historically, Black students are found to demonstrate reduced levels of kindergarten readiness as compared to their white counterparts in measures of math, literacy, social skills and motor skills. In Galveston, Black student’s are similarly left on the outskirts of kindergarten readiness. In Galveston, white, Asian and Hispanic students were found to be more likely to be in enrolled in high quality early childhood centers. In 2010, 282 of 336 or approximately 84% of white students were enrolled in high quality childhood center’s compared to 230 of 401 or 57% of Black students enrolled in high quality early childhood centers. This article will discuss findings from data assessing early childhood centers on Galveston island and how Black students are left on the outskirts of success from a young age. This article will also describe what approaches can be
utilized to insure early childhood success for Black students.