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A call to action on early childhood learning disparities in marginalized communities

by Dr. Andi Turner, Research Director for Pearson Clinical Assessments

Children looking at book

Educators are facing a challenge like never before. I make this observation based on 18 years of deep immersion in the mental wellness field, including practical experience in individual, family, and group therapy settings. Along the way, I found my most rewarding service to be assessing babies and young children as a consultant for early childhood and Head Start programs.

At no time have we faced circumstances like we do today. While the pandemic affected everyone, it did the most damage to vulnerable populations, illuminating the social and educational injustices that underserved children in our country experience. 

There’s no question that the “pandemic babies” headed to school in the coming years will have new hurdles to overcome, given their experiences during this formative time. While there are ways to address the challenges these youngest learners face, it’s important to understand how we have arrived at today’s troubling landscape and how we can address these gaps.

Alarming trends facing today’s children

The foundation of brain development occurs in the years from birth to age three, which affects both mental and physical health throughout a person’s lifespan. I am always quick to point to University of Chicago Economics Professor James Heckman’s research, known as the Heckman Equation, which proves that investments in early childhood have clear economic benefits.

Yet, it’s all too common for families who are part of marginalized groups to struggle to provide the basics due to the inequitable access to resources prevalent across our society. The issue was even more pronounced during the pandemic when many children isolated at home were likely affected by increased family stress, including family illness or death, disruption in employment or increased work stress, food shortages, child-care limitations, school closures, and in some extreme cases, abuse, neglect, and domestic violence. In addition, lower income housing is more likely to increase exposure to toxins like lead, asbestos or secondhand smoke. Both learning and socialization opportunities were compromised in some way for all children during the pandemic, and this may have been more prevalent for children in lower-income areas.

The short video below, created by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, shows the impact of early actions taken by caregivers and the larger community for both the child and society. Because of the pandemic, many didn’t receive the positive influences they otherwise would have. That has the potential to affect their development today.  

View Brain Hero video

Educators must be aware that decades of social injustice have left a lasting impact on many families that extends to the youngest generation — and the pandemic made those issues even worse.

What’s more, we must dismiss the prevalent misconception that the pandemic didn’t affect toddlers or babies as much as other groups and instead proactively address that impact as we approach their entry to school.

Universal screening can make a difference

While educators seek to integrate best practices into their community, such as creating a safe, welcoming culture and building trust through routines and daily rituals, one of the most critical steps every district should take is deploying universal screeners to ensure no child is overlooked. Several tools are available that promote equity by identifying kids who may be starting school with an opportunity gap to ensure they receive the services they need.

Here are some Pearson assessments that can assist early childhood educators and service providers with evaluating children’s development, school readiness and strengths. ​​These assessments may be helpful for meeting Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) mandates.

1. Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development Screening Test (Bayley-4 Screening Test)

Designed for children ages 16 days to 3 years, 6 months, this screening test assesses the risk for development delay and if more comprehensive assessment is needed. The screener provides cut scores for cognitive, language (expressive and receptive) and motor (gross and fine) skills, and it can be used for progress monitoring. The comprehensive Bayley-4 assessment can be used if further assessment is needed.

My favorite features of the newly updated version include:

  • Fast paper-and-pencil administration, typically taking within 15-30 minutes.
  • Easy scoring and interpretation of at-risk categories.
  • Caregiver questions that allow items to be scored based on a caregiver’s report of what the child usually does, which is especially helpful if a child is behaving atypically in the testing environment.

2. The Bracken School Readiness Assessment, 4th Edition (BSRA-4)

Designed for children ages 3 years to 7 years, 11 months, this screener is a brief version of the ​​​​Bracken Basic Concept Scale, 4th Edition: Receptive (BBCS-4:R). The BSRA-4 provides a school readiness composite and scores for six subtests assessing comprehension of concepts important for early childhood development and indicators of school readiness.

My favorite features of the newly updated version include:

  • Choice of paper-pencil, Q-global scoring and reporting, or Q-interactive administration and scoring.
  • Opportunity to record pointing responses for those children who may be shy in assessment or have difficulty communicating verbally.
  • Expanded age range from previous version.

3. Early Screening Inventory, 3rd Edition (ESI-3)

The ESI-3 is a screener designed to identify children who may need special education services to succeed in school. It assesses young children in the areas of visual-motor, adaptive, language, cognition and gross motor skills. There are two versions available: ESI-P Preschool is for ages 3 years to 4 years, 6 months, and ESI-K Kindergarten is for ages 4 years, 6 months to 5 years, 11 months.

My favorite features of the newly updated version include:

  • A questionnaire for caregiver perception of development with new items that cover adaptive behavior and social-emotional development.
  • The ability to administer the assessment in English or Spanish for dual-language settings.
  • Choice of paper-and-pencil administration and scoring or digital administration, scoring and reporting on Q-global.

4. Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, 4th Edition (DIAL-4)

For use with children ages 2 years, 6 months to 5 years, 11 months, this in-depth screener for early childhood covers five key areas: motor, concepts, language, self-help and social development. A shortened version, Speed DIAL-4, is available for quicker screening in smaller settings.

My favorite features of the newly updated version include:

  • Inclusion of parent and teacher questionnaires allowing for information from multiple sources.
  • Optional parent form that suggests activities to help improve their child’s skills.
  • Ability to generate Group Reports on Q-global to see age group or classroom performance all together to assist with planning and instruction within programs and classrooms.

In addition to these assessments, here are resources I find to be particularly useful:

As we reflect on the pandemic’s profound impact on school readiness — particularly for the youngest learners in the most marginalized communities — it’s important to remember that learning recovery will require concerted efforts from a variety of stakeholders. As educators seek to close opportunity gaps, a universal screening policy can help ensure equitable support for underserved students. I encourage each of you to embrace the possibilities as we aim to build a solid foundation for lifelong learning and success.