YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - A study conducted in fall 2021 found that just four in 10 kindergartners in Sutter County are fully ready for kindergarten, about the same percent who were ready in 2018 when the study was last conducted. 

The 2021 Sutter County Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) study also found that early health and enrichment experiences, such as frequent reading at home and coming to school well-rested, were linked to higher readiness in the county. Yet, like many families across the nation, children, and families in the study experienced disruptions in their routines and more limited access to services during the pandemic. Families reported that they read together less frequently, used fewer community resources like libraries, and received less information about the kindergarten transition, compared to families who participated in the 2018 study. Over two-thirds of caregivers reported that the coronavirus had impacted their employment, with mothers reporting a more significant impact than other caregivers, and nearly half of caregivers said that COVID-19 had caused them increased distress. 

Although the percentage of children fully ready for kindergarten was unchanged from 2018, fewer children were prepared in academic skills like counting and recognizing letters of the alphabet. According to the study’s author, Christina Branom, Ph.D., of Applied Survey Research, the challenges posed by the pandemic, including widespread childcare closures, likely limited children’s opportunities to acquire these kinds of skills. “With effects like decreased childcare options and financial instability, the pandemic created conditions that threatened children’s development and may have widened readiness gaps,” she says. “Addressing the impacts of the pandemic on readiness is important considering research that shows being ready for kindergarten makes you much more likely to succeed later in elementary school and even in adulthood.”

In response to the effects of the pandemic, organizations in Sutter County have stepped up their efforts to support children and families. For example, Sutter County Children and Families Commission (SCCFC) allocated $25,000 to a COVID-19 Emergency Fund to respond to emerging critical needs. SCCFC’s funded partners also rose to the challenges posed by the pandemic by adapting their service delivery strategies, offering at-home activities and virtual services like home visits and playgroups. The 2018 and 2021 KRAs both found that participation in these kinds of services is positively correlated with the readiness of children and families.  “The vision of Sutter County Children and Families Commission is that all children in Sutter County will have optimal health, be nurtured and prepared to succeed.  The 2021 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment study helps us understand where we can focus on helping all Sutter County children 0-5 years of age succeed.”