At a press conference at Calvin Donaldson Elementary School, the Hamilton County Department of Education and the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies released the results of a first-ever survey of parents of children registering for kindergarten in Hamilton County.

The survey of 2,363 parents found that overall 19.5% of children were beginning school without any past participation in child care or preschool programs. But children whose mothers had less than a high school education – among those most at risk of not being ready for school – were more than twice as likely (41.7%) not to have participated in a child care or preschool program: 28.1% of children of parents with a high school degree or GED had not participated in a program, compared to just 9.5% of children with parents with a college degree.

The survey, conducted by the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies, found that participation rates in child care programs were lowest for children during their first years. Nearly 60% of all children had not participated in a child care program between birth and their third birthday. Again, children most at risk based on maternal education were the least likely to have participated in child care at an early age. Among children between the ages of 0 to 3, only 17.3% of children with mothers who lacked a high school diploma were in a preschool or child care program, compared to an overall participation rate of 43.6% and a participation rate for mothers with a college degree of nearly 60%.

“The research is clear that early intervention programs for young children who are at risk can help them overcome other disadvantages that may cause them to start kindergarten not ready for school,” said David Eichenthal, President and CEO of the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies. “Our study shows that in Hamilton County, many children most at risk are least likely to benefit from those programs.”

“The Ochs Center survey points to the need for the community and for parents to begin to focus on doing what it takes to ensure academic success years before a child enters a Hamilton County classroom for the first time,” said Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Scales. “For students attending schools like Calvin Donaldson, we need to understand that investments in reading and early childhood programs are essential to K-12 student performance.”

There were differences in participation rate by place of residence as well. Children from the zip codes with the highest rates of participation in the State Families First program had the lowest rates of participation in child care and pre-school programs. In the 37407 zip code, more than 40% of all children had not pre-school or child care experience before entering kindergarten.

The Ochs Center survey also found a significant difference in participation based on the race and ethnic origin of the parent. When children were between 0 and 3 years old, only 13.3% of Hispanic children participated in preschool or child care compared to 44.2% of Whites and 49.1% of African Americans. When kindergarteners were between 3 and 5 years old, 50.5% of Hispanics, 78% of Whites and 83.4% of African Americans participated in child care. In 2009, Hispanic children made up 8.4% of the kindergarten class.

The survey also indicated that most at risk children who did participate in a child care program relied substantially on publicly provided programs such as HCDE Pre-K and Head Start. While public child care and pre-school programs—Early Head Start, Head Start and HCDE Pre-K—served less than half of all survey respondents with children in an early childhood program, they accounted for 84.9% of children with mothers without a high school degree and 69.3% of children with mothers with a high school degree or GED.

The survey, developed by the Ochs Center, was given to all parents registering their children for kindergarten both in May 2009 and then as late registrants occurred in August. Surveys were available in both English and Spanish.

The Ochs Center survey was a follow up to an August 2008 report which found that one out of four children in Hamilton County were at risk of not being ready for school. The survey was funded through a grant by the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. Dr. Eileen Robertson Rehberg, Director of Data Analysis, oversaw the survey and the development of the final report.

Summary of Findings

In 2009, the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies surveyed all parents registering children for Kindergarten in Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE) elementary schools. Based on 2,363 responses, the Ochs Center found that:

Overall, 19.5% of children were beginning school without any past participation in child care or preschool programs. But children whose mothers had less than a high school education – among those most at risk of not being ready for school – were more than twice as likely (41.7%) not to have participated in a child care or preschool program: 28.1% of children of parents with a high school degree or GED had not participated in a program, compared to just 9.5% of children with parents with a college degree.
More children participated in child care and preschool programs when they were older. More than three-quarters of children—77% -- were in child care or preschool programs between the ages of 3 to 5, compared to 43% between the ages of 0 to 3.
The gap in participation rates was greatest in the early years. Among children between the ages of 0 to 3, only 17.3% of children with mothers who lacked a high school diploma were in a preschool or child care program, compared to an overall participation rate of 43.6% and a participation rate for mothers with a college degree of nearly 60%.
Among both 0 to 3 year olds and 3 to 5 year olds, participation in a child care program was most frequent in Head Start, HCDE Pre-K or programs participating in the Tennessee Star Quality rating program.
Participation rates in preschool and child care programs for Hispanic children were much lower—one-third the rate of either African American or White children. When children were between 0 and 3 years old, only 13.3% of Hispanic children participated in preschool or child care compared to 44.2% of Whites and 49.1% of African Americans. When kindergarteners were between 3 and 5 years old, 50.5% of Hispanics, 78% of Whites and 83.4% of African Americans participated in child care.
Nearly sixty percent of African Americans and Hispanics in child care or preschool were reported to be in Head Start/HCDE Pre-K compared to nearly twenty percent of Whites.
While public child care and pre-school programs—Early Head Start, Head Start and HCDE Pre-K—served less than half of all survey respondents with children in an early childhood program, they accounted for 84.9% of children with mothers without a high school degree and 69.3% of children with mothers with a high school degree or GED.
Only 9.8% of all children of mothers who did not finish high school and 17.2% of all children with mothers with a high school degree or GED participated in private child care programs. By comparison, more than 40% of all children with mothers with a college degree were in private care.