H. P. F. Early Childhood School Readiness memo to B. J. M. and C. D. P., September 6, 2002

Congress of tfjc Unitrb States gouge of jRepresentatttieg SHaSfjmgton, BC 20515-2002 September 6, 2002 MEMORANDUM To: BJM, CDP From: HPF Subject: Early Childhood School Readiness in Maryland. ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR. ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAJORITY WHIP "Nancy Grasmick, Maryland's superintendent of schools, has reason to worry. " -Walter Minkel, on Maryland’s "pre-k" school readiness results. School Library Journal, 6/1/02. Summary: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 3 1 percent of fourth graders nationwide cannot read at a proficent level. For fourth graders eligible for free/reduced price lunches, that number drops to 13 percent. Research continues to show that poor reading skills have devastating consequences on self-esteem, social and cognitive development, and opportunities for advanced education and meaningful employment. Maryland: The 2001-2002 school year was the first year that all kindergartners in the State were rated on their readiness for school, i.e. kindergarten. Students were grouped by their teachers into the following three categories, best to worst: Full Readiness, Approaching Readiness, and Developing Readiness. The statewide data reveals that 49 percent of entering kindergarten students in Maryland were rated by their teachers as “fully ready” for kindergarten work. 44 percent are “approaching readiness,” and 7 percent are “developing readiness.” Simply put, less than half of Maryland’s pre-kindergartners are capable of fully competing in kindergarten. The Maryland State Department of Education, in its report entitled Children Entering School Ready to Learn , broke these statistics down according to subjects studied in kindergarten. Below are the four lowest readiness averages: • Only 24 percent of pre-kindergartners were fully ready for scientific thinking. • Only 32 percent were fully ready for social studies. • Only 36 percent were fully ready for language and literacy. • Only 40 percent were fully ready for mathematical thinking.