Exploring School Readiness Profiles at Kindergarten Entry Among Latine Dual Language Learners

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Paso a paso early experiences with language, literacy and identity.

Abstract

This study examines school readiness profiles among Latine dual language learners (DLLs), with a specific focus on the heterogeneity that distinguishes between Spanish- and Mixtec-speaking children. Grounded in the LatCrit framework, the research challenges the homogenization of Latine DLLs, which often erases Indigenous linguistic and cultural identities. Using latent class analysis (LCA) with a sample of 1,027 kindergarteners in a suburban school district, the study identified four distinct school readiness profiles based on teacher-rated data across multiple developmental domains. Results revealed that Mixtec-speaking DLLs were disproportionately represented in lower-readiness profiles, underscoring the consequences of misclassification and linguistic invisibility in early childhood education. These findings emphasize the importance of collecting disaggregated data and implementing culturally and linguistically responsive screening practices.

Authors

• Monica Romero, University of Texas at Austin

• Mariana Davila, University of Texas at Austin

• Daisy Barrientos, University of Texas at Austin