ABSTRACT

This study investigated associations of three teacher-reported health indicators—hunger, tiredness, and sickness—with kindergarten readiness skills in San Francisco Unified School District (N = 12,423; female = 48%; M_age = 5.47, SD_age = 0.30, range_age = 4.67–7.00; Asian American = 26%, Black = 5%, Latinx = 20%, Multiracial/Other = 23%, White = 18%). Research Findings: Accounting for demographic characteristics, each teacher-reported health indicator was negatively associated with measures of students’ academic and social-emotional readiness. These relations did not differ by student race/ethnicity despite a disproportionately high prevalence of health concerns among Black and Latinx students relative to White students. Moreover, teacher-reported hunger, tiredness, and sickness partially explained racial/ethnic disparities in kindergarten readiness skills, especially among Black students compared to their White, Latinx, and Asian American peers. Practice or Policy: Results demonstrate the feasibility and utility of universal teacher-administered basic health screening and underscore the importance of early childhood health for efforts to redress educational inequality.

摘要

本研究调查了旧金山联合学区教师报告的三种健康指标——饥饿、疲倦和疾病——与幼儿园准备技能之间的关联（N = 12,423；女性 = 48%；M_年龄 = 5.47，SD_年龄 = 0.30，范围_年龄 = 4.67–7.00；亚裔美国人 = 26%，黑人 = 5%，拉丁裔 = 20%，多种族/其他 = 23%，白人 = 18%）。研究成果：考虑到人口特征，每项教师报告的健康指标都与学生的学业和社交情绪准备程度呈负相关。尽管与白人学生相比，黑人和拉丁裔学生的健康问题患病率高得不成比例，但这些关系并没有因学生种族/族裔而异。此外，教师报告的饥饿、疲倦和疾病部分解释了幼儿园准备技能方面的种族/族裔差异，尤其是黑人学生与白人、拉丁裔和亚裔美国同龄人相比。实践或政策：结果证明了普遍由教师管理的基本健康检查的可行性和实用性，并强调了幼儿健康对于纠正教育不平等的重要性。