Early Childhood Programs Aim to Close Kindergarten Readiness Gap

Sandra Mosqueda watches with an amused smile as her 2-year-old son, Atreus, sweeps the floor with a miniature mop at his San Antonio preschool. Atreus is part of the inaugural class of infants and toddlers receiving free preschool through a citywide program in San Antonio, Texas—an opportunity Mosqueda deeply values. Her two older boys, now in first grade and kindergarten, previously benefited from the same program, which set them up for success in elementary school.

The first five years of a child’s life are critical for development, establishing a foundation that prepares children for kindergarten and often determines their educational trajectory. However, new data from the National Survey for Children’s Health reveals significant disparities in kindergarten readiness across the United States.

Nationally, nearly two-thirds of children are reported as on track for kindergarten, regardless of family income. But the gap between the poorest and wealthiest families is stark—approximately 20 percentage points separate them. The survey, administered by the U.S. Census Bureau, collects responses annually from thousands of parents and guardians about their children’s early learning, social-emotional development, self-regulation, motor development, and health.

Low-income children typically have less access to experiences that boost school readiness, particularly high-quality early learning opportunities. However, there are encouraging signs: the percentage of on-track children from families earning less than the federal poverty line—just under $32,000 for a family of four in 2024—has been trending upward nationwide by several percentage points in recent years.

Cities and states across the country are implementing programs to accelerate this improvement by expanding preschool access for children from low-income families. These initiatives are increasingly urgent as parents struggle with soaring childcare costs and a widening affordability gap.

San Antonio’s program, Pre-K 4 SA, exemplifies this approach. It offers 2,000 preschool seats for 3- and 4-year-olds, with 80% provided free to qualifying families. Funded through the city’s sales tax and launched in 2013, the program expanded last year to include four infant and toddler classrooms in its new South Education Center. The preschools provide comprehensive services addressing the complex obstacles to kindergarten readiness faced by children living in poverty.

Similar citywide early childhood programs have emerged in Denver, New York, Boston, and Chicago, among other cities.

Students who have completed Pre-K 4 SA have scored higher than the state average on third grade math and reading, according to the Urban Education Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio. This success reflects what Sarah Baray, CEO of Pre-K 4 SA, considers a key achievement: children with the greatest needs receive the same high-quality education as those from wealthier families.

“The quality is so high that even families who could afford to go anywhere try to get into our schools,” Baray said.

Education experts widely agree that high-quality standards, such as smaller class sizes and lower child-to-staff ratios, are essential for boosting school readiness. Pre-K 4 SA implements a “whole child” approach that develops various skills, including socioemotional learning. As Baray explains, the program prepares children for “not just academic success, but life success.”

In Deziree Arce’s classroom, children learn to count and recognize shapes like typical preschoolers, but they also receive guidance on social-emotional skills—consoling crying classmates or resolving conflicts over seating arrangements. For Arce, who grew up in a low-income family and has taught at Pre-K 4 SA for nine years, the work is personal.

“When I see kids that come from, like, where I came from, I’m giving them something that I never got,” she said.

The program intentionally incorporates opportunities for motor skill development. During lunch, children use tongs to serve themselves turkey burgers provided by a local food bank. When students successfully open ketchup packets by themselves for the first time, it’s cause for celebration.

Outdoor play is another vital component. Students spend an hour outside daily, weather permitting, engaging in what the program calls “risky play”—racing tricycles, climbing up slides, or operating water pumps. These experiences teach children their physical limits early, according to Pre-K 4 SA Chief of Schools Tonda Brown.

One significant challenge for San Antonio’s program and similar initiatives nationwide is meeting demand. More than 1,600 families were on Pre-K 4 SA’s waitlist this school year. To help these families, the program’s enrollment team connects them with alternatives, such as school district-run preschools or private centers partnered with Pre-K 4 SA.

Other cities distribute demand across various high-quality preschool programs by offering financial assistance. Denver Preschool Program provides tuition credits to all families with 4-year-olds, which can be applied toward any licensed public or private preschool participating in the sales tax-funded program. About 80% of these providers were rated four- or five-star in Colorado’s quality rating system. The level of financial support varies based on family income, with nearly 1,800 children from the lowest income tier receiving support in 2024. More than $21 million in tuition credits were distributed in the 2023-2024 school year.

However, in many parts of the country, especially rural areas, private preschools are often the only high-quality option, typically carrying substantial costs with little financial assistance. This leaves low-income families with fewer choices than their wealthier counterparts.

“There’s all sorts of challenges that then really limit what preschools are even kind of on the table for them,” said Kelly Purtell, a human development and family science professor at Ohio State University.

Transportation can be another barrier, particularly for parents working non-standard hours. Pre-K 4 SA’s South Education Center addresses this by providing free bus transportation, with cheerful monitors greeting children at pickup spots and ensuring each child is properly secured with a safety harness.

The stress of poverty can hinder parents’ ability to provide enriching experiences crucial for school readiness, which is why services promoting family stability are important. Pre-K 4 SA offers healthy cooking classes, mobile vaccination clinics, and “family cafes” where parents can get assistance applying for jobs.

For Mosqueda, having her children in preschool enabled her to return to school after Atreus’ birth interrupted her studies to become a respiratory therapist. She completed a dental assistant degree and secured a position at a nearby dental office—accomplishments her children have celebrated proudly.

“It’s showing them you can still do anything, no matter what comes in your way,” she said, “and having the help to do it makes it possible.”