Universal Screening of Hunger, Tiredness, and Sickness: Implications for Kindergarten Readiness and Racial/Ethnic Disparities

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, SDage = 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.