Research shows that racial and ethnic gaps in school achievement, behavior and social skills emerge early on in a child’s life and persist through kindergarten.

A recent Early Learning Network study, led by Iheoma U. Iruka, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, shed light on factors that may help narrow gaps at the end of kindergarten, specifically among Black, White and Latine students.

This month, we're highlighting this important work that emphasizes the need for early intervention, strong home-school connections and culturally responsive practices to ensure all students receive equitable learning opportunities for future success.

Read the story linked below to dig deeper into the findings.

The Early Learning Network, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, leverages its expertise, resources and geographic diversity to help narrow opportunity gaps and maintain early learning success as children transition from preschool to third grade. Together, network researchers from universities and organizations across the U.S. are examining current policies and practices, identifying malleable factors associated with early learning and achievement, and developing tools to assess early learning instruction, interactions and environments. Learn more at earlylearningnetwork.unl.edu.