Risk Factors for School Readiness

All children should enter school ready to learn. In order for children to be ready for school at Kindergarten, the critical building blocks of Healthy Development, Strong Families, and Early Learning should be in place during early childhood.

The maps and fact sheets summarize research on risk and protective factors for healthy development and school readiness and provide a snapshot of risk in Kansas counties. A number of risk factors can impact development and delay school readiness, while protective factors help support children and families.

group of children laying on the grass in a circle

Snapshot of Kansas Risk Data

The maps below display the level of risk for each county based on the U.S. Census and other population information:

Poverty

Maternal Education

Language Spoken at Home

Teen Pregnancy

Children Without Health Insurance

Single Parent Households

Poverty

What is the impact of poverty on school readiness?

Poverty is linked to a variety of negative outcomes for children, including poorer academic achievement and language development. The impact of poverty extends to social and health outcomes.² The difficulties of poverty are often exacerbated by and inextricably linked to lower parental education, single and/or teen parents, poor health, stress, depression and anxiety, harsh parenting, and lack of cognitive stimulation.⁴^,³

Percent of children participating in the free and reduced-price lunch program

23%

81%

Kansas Poverty / Free or Reduced-Price School Lunch Map

Maternal Education

How does maternal education influence school readiness?

Lower maternal education has been found to be a significant risk factor for child development, as it can impact cognitive and behavioral skills later in life.⁶ Economically disadvantaged children with college-educated mothers were as school ready as their more affluent peers with college-educated mothers.² Higher maternal education is also a protective factor against the negative impacts of maternal stress and depression on children.⁷

Percent of mothers without a high school education

42%

Kansas county map of maternal education.

Language Spoken at Home

How does the language spoken at home impact school readiness?

Latino dual language learners often continue to lag behind peers throughout school because of the relationship between English proficiency, educational attainment, and prosperity after schooling. Students who experience difficulty with English literacy may exhibit delays well past pre-school and kindergarten.⁹ Early English proficiency among dual language learners is related to later academic achievement.¹⁰

Five-year average of households where a language other than English is spoken at home

59%

Kansas map of non-english language speakers.

Teen Pregnancy

What effect does having a teen mother have on school readiness?

Children born to teen mothers tend to experience a variety of factors associated with poor school readiness, such as poverty, lack of resources, and lack of educational opportunities.¹²^, ¹³^, ¹⁴^, ¹⁵

Five-year average rate of teen pregnancy per 1,000 females

Children Without Health Insurance

What is the impact of health insurance on school readiness?

The first five years of life are crucial for a child's development. Multiple factors such as poverty and early adversity can impact a child's health.¹⁸^,¹⁹ Children who are healthier at birth have greater motor development and more refined learning approaches than children who are less healthy at birth.¹⁹ Chronic illness results in the highest risks for delays in school readiness."¹⁸

Percent of children under 19 years old without health insurance

18%

Kansas county map of no health insureance.

Single Parent Households

How does having a single parent impact school readiness?

Children in single parent households are more likely to have lower pre-academic skills.²¹ Single parent families typically have less access to financial resources and social support, both of which impact school readiness.²²

Percent of single parent households with children under the age of 18

10%

56%

Cumulative Risk