A Picture of Young Children in the U.S. Jerry West, Ph.D. National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education Sciences EDUCATION SUMMIT ON CHILDREN, MEDIA AND LITERACY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PBS

Each year, about 4 million children enter kindergarten They come from a variety of backgrounds 25 percent are from single-parent households 9 percent come from household where English is not the primary language 42 percent are racial/ethnic minorities 20 percent live in poverty 14 percent live with mothers who have not completed high school 81 percent were in some kind of regular non-parental care arrangement the year prior to entering kindergarten.

Children’s Early Skills and Achievement

Percentage of children in the fall of kindergarten who demonstrate specific reading knowledge and skills: 1998 They begin school with different knowledge and skills Percent SOURCE: America’s Kindergartners. NCES

* Less than.5 percent Percent SOURCE: America’s Kindergartners. NCES They begin school with different knowledge and skills Percentage of children in the fall of kindergarten who demonstrate specific math knowledge and skills: 1998

They begin school with different knowledge and skills Percent SOURCE: The Kindergarten Year. NCES NOTE: Family risk factors include: primary home language was non-English, mother’s highest education was less than high school, living in a single parent household, and family having received welfare assistance. Percentage of children in the fall of kindergarten who demonstrate specific reading knowledge and skills, by family risk factor index: 1998

Gains in Reading from kindergarten through third grade Mean reading scale scores, by time of assessment: Fall 1998, spring 1999, spring 2000, and spring 2002 SOURCE: From Kindergarten Through Third Grade. NCES NOTE: Estimates reflect first time kindergartners who were assessed in English in all assessment years. First grade refers to the spring of first grade where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Third grade refers to the spring of third grade, where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Fall kindergarten Spring kindergarten Spring first grade Spring third grade Scale score

Gains in Math from kindergarten through third grade Mean math scale scores, by time of assessment: Fall 1998, spring 1999, spring 2000, and spring 2002 SOURCE: From Kindergarten Through Third Grade. NCES NOTE: Estimates reflect first time kindergartners who were assessed in English in all assessment years. First grade refers to the spring of first grade where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Third grade refers to the spring of third grade, where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Fall kindergarten Spring kindergarten Spring first grade Spring third grade Scale score

Gains in Reading from kindergarten through third grade, by family risk factors (risk factors include, living below the poverty level, primary home language was non-English, mother’s highest education was less than high school, and living in a single parent household) Mean reading scale scores, by time of assessment: Fall 1998, spring 1999, spring 2000, and spring 2002 SOURCE: From Kindergarten Through Third Grade. NCES NOTE: Estimates reflect first time kindergartners who were assessed in English in all assessment years. First grade refers to the spring of first grade where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Third grade refers to the spring of third grade, where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Fall kindergarten Spring kindergarten Spring first grade Spring third grade Scale score

Gains in Math from kindergarten through third grade, by family risk factors (risk factors include, living below the poverty level, primary home language was non-English, mother’s highest education was less than high school, and living in a single parent household) Mean math scale scores, by time of assessment: Fall 1998, spring 1999, spring 2000, and spring 2002 SOURCE: From Kindergarten Through Third Grade. NCES NOTE: Estimates reflect first time kindergartners who were assessed in English in all assessment years. First grade refers to the spring of first grade where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Third grade refers to the spring of third grade, where the majority of the sample was on grade level. Fall kindergarten Spring kindergarten Spring first grade Spring third grade Scale score

School Care and Education Neighborhood and Community Family Child Children Develop in Multiple Contexts

Early Care And Education

Young children’s experiences in early care and education Percentage of children from birth through age six, not yet in kindergarten by type of care arrangement, SOURCE: National Household Education Survey. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being Percent Parental care only Total in nonparental care Care in home by a relative Care in home by a nonrelative Care in a center-based program

School-aged children’s experiences in after-school care and education Percentage of children in kindergarten through third grade by weekday care, SOURCE: National Household Education Survey. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being NOTE: Children may have multiple arrangements, percentages may not add to 100. Percent Parental care only Home based care Center-based care Self-care

Child Health

Access to health care Percentage of children ages 0 to 5 covered by health insurance, by type of insurance, 2002 Percent SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March and Annual Social and Economic Supplements. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being For children with insurance, basic type of insurance

Children’s general health Percentage of children ages 0 to 4 in very good or excellent health by poverty status, SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March and Annual Social and Economic Supplements. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being Percent

Kindergartners general health Percentage of first-time kindergartners in excellent general health, by child’s race/ethnicity: Fall 1998 Percent SOURCE: America’s Kindergartners. NCES NOTE: White children are more likely than Black, Hispanic or Asian children to be in excellent general health.

Children’s Families And Homes

Children in poverty Percentage of related children under age 6 living in poverty, 1990 to 2002 SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March and Annual Social and Economic Supplements. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being Percent

Exposure to second hand smoke Percentage of homes with children under age 7 where someone smokes regularly, selected years SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation, Survey on Radon Awareness and Environmental Tobacco Issues. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being Percent

Secure parental employment Percentage of children under age 6 living with at least one parent employed full time all year, by family structure, 2002 Percent SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March Current Population Survey. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2004.

Children At The Time of Birth

Birth weight Percentage distribution of children born in 2001, by birth weight: 2001 SOURCE: Born in 2001: First Results From The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), NCES

Prematurity Percentage distribution of children born in 2001, by prematurity: 2001 SOURCE: Born in 2001: First Results From The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), NCES

Age of mother at time of birth Percentage distribution of children born in 2001, by age of mother at time of birth: 2001 SOURCE: Born in 2001: First Results From The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), NCES

Children develop and learn in multiple contexts When children enter school, they are already demonstrating varying knowledge and skills Helping children succeed in life begins early and relates to not only their schooling, but also to –their nonparental care and education –their health and well-being –their home life

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