A 13-year study from San Francisco shows that children who are ready for kindergarten—not just older—are more likely to succeed through high school. Readiness includes academic, emotional, and social skills. The good news? Families can help build those skills long before the first day of school.
A Frequent Parent Question: “Is My Child Ready?”
When Maya’s son turned five, she faced a big decision: should she enroll him in kindergarten or wait another year? He loved books and puzzles, but still had trouble sitting still, sharing, and following instructions in groups. Friends told her not to worry — “he’ll catch up!” But the uncertainty lingered: How do you really know when a child is ready for school?
If you’ve ever asked yourself that question, you’re not alone—and this five-part series is here to help.
Welcome to Part 1 of our five-part series on kindergarten readiness. If you’re a parent or caregiver wondering, “Is my child ready for kindergarten?” or asking yourself whether to wait another year before they start school, this series is designed for you.
Based on a groundbreaking 13-year (2009-2022) research study from the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), this series takes some of the guesswork out of school readiness and gives you practical, science-backed information to guide your decision making for your child.
Here’s what you can look forward to in the series:
- Part 1 (you’re here!): What a 13-Year Study Found About Kindergarten Readiness
- Part 2: What Is Kindergarten Readiness, Really?
- Part 3: Why Readiness Matters More Than Age
- Part 4: How to Assess Readiness at Home
- Part 5: What to Do If Your Child Isn’t Ready Yet
Let’s begin with a look at the study that’s shaping how we think about early childhood education.
What Was This Study?
In 2009, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) partnered with early childhood researchers to assess a representative group of kindergarten students across 41 schools using the Kindergarten Observation Form (KOF). Teachers evaluated children’s readiness in four key areas:
- Self-care and motor skills
- Self-regulation and social expression
- Early academics
- Language and communication
Parents also completed questionnaires about family routines, early learning, social supports, and home life.
Then, the researchers did something remarkable: they followed these students for the next 13 years—all the way through high school—to see how their early readiness affected their academic journeys.
The Research Approach: How Do We Know It’s Valid?
This study used a longitudinal, quantitative research design, meaning it followed the same group of students over time and relied on data that could be measured—like test scores, GPAs, attendance, and graduation rates.
To make sure results were reliable, researchers used advanced statistical models such as:
- Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
- Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LGCM)
- Multilevel Modeling, which accounts for differences in school environments and demographics
In other words, this wasn’t just a one-time test or opinion survey. It was a rigorous, science-based investigation into what really shapes a child’s success in school.
What Did the Study Find?
Readiness Is a Strong Predictor of Long-Term Success
Children who entered kindergarten “Fully Ready” were significantly more likely to:
- Score higher on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math tests from 3rd to 8th grade
- Maintain higher GPAs in middle and high school
- Graduate from high school on time
Even when researchers accounted for differences like income, race, or language, readiness still predicted better outcomes.Students who weren’t ready didn’t catch up!
Children rated as “Not Ready” did show growth—but they didn’t close the gap with their more prepared peers. The difference in performance stayed the same—or even widened—over time. That doesn’t mean those children couldn’t succeed—it simply shows how powerful early support and preparation can be in setting a long-term path.
In short: early readiness matters much more than we may have ever realized.
Family Engagement Matters, Too
Another powerful finding: children whose families were highly involved in their learning during early childhood performed better across all school years. These families often:
- Read with their child frequently
- Visited libraries, parks, or museums
- Attended parent workshops or used local support programs
- High family engagement was linked to higher test scores, stronger GPAs, and better emotional regulation—even after controlling for income and background.
What This Means for You
This study confirms what many parents sense intuitively: being “ready” for kindergarten isn’t about memorizing letters. It’s about a whole set of skills—emotional, physical, social, and cognitive—that work together to help a child thrive in school.
It also tells us:
- Readiness is more important than age (we’ll dive into that in Part 3)
- Delaying kindergarten without working on readiness skills may not help
- You can build readiness at home—starting now
In future articles, we’ll break this down into actionable steps. Next up: what kindergarten readiness really means—and how you can tell whether your child is there yet.
Additional Supporting Research
This isn’t the only study to find long-term value in early readiness. Other major studies have found similar results:
- Gray-Lobe et al. (2021) reported that students who attended universal preschool in Boston were more likely to take the SAT and enroll in college.
- Temple & Reynolds (2007) found that early education predicted high school graduation and reduced involvement in the criminal justice system.
In Summary
If you’re asking, “Is my child ready for kindergarten?” — that’s one of the most important questions you can ask as a parent. And it turns out, the answer could significantly shape your child’s academic future.
Stay tuned for Part 2: What Is Kindergarten Readiness, Really? where we break down the skills and behaviors that matter most—and how you can spot them.
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Additional Citations:
Gray-Lobe, G., Pathak, P. A., & Walters, C. R. (2021). The long-term effects of universal preschool in Boston (NBER Working Paper No. 28756). National Bureau of Economic Research.
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