The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, provides a first-ever look at the knowledge, skills, health, and behavior of a nationally representative sample of U.S. kindergarten children upon entry to school. On the whole, the study provides a portrait of what today's American children are like when they begin school. While many of the results are positive, not all of the news is good. Parents report that substantial minorities of children are already experiencing risks for developmental difficulties, with one in five being described as overly active, one in six having problems concentrating for sustained periods, and one in nine not articulating words clearly or fluently. Teachers report that sizable minorities display less conducive approaches to learning tasks. One-quarter of beginning kindergartners are described as eager to learn no more than sometimes or never, and one-third as paying attention in class with similar frequency. The significance of these findings becomes clearer in light of earlier surveys on qualities that teachers and parents consider important for school readiness. Majorities of both teachers and parents rate a child's ability to sit still and pay attention in class as essential or very important for school readiness (West, Germino-Hausken, and Collins 1993). Most teachers also rate children's ability to communicate needs and wants to others as crucial for school success (Heaviside and Farris 1993).

The findings of the new study show considerable variation in children's knowledge and skills as they enter kindergarten. The variations in children's knowledge and skills are partly related to differences in how old children are when they begin school and to developmental differences between boys and girls. These variations are also associated with family risk factors, which, in turn, are related to some of the observed variation in children's health status and behavior at school entry.