Can State Kindergarten Entry Social-Emotional Skills Help Predict Disability Identifications?

• In Event: Social-Emotional Skills, Regulation, and Flexibility in Children with Developmental Disabilities and Parents

Abstract

Background
Children who enter kindergarten without foundational social-emotional skills are more likely to demonstrate behavioral and social struggles and are more likely to be identified with a disability in early elementary school (Ashburner et al., 2010; Estes et al., 2011). Increasingly, states are recognizing the importance of using comprehensive assessment tools to measure children’s skills at the start of kindergarten. It is possible that data from these assessments could be used to identify students at-risk of being identified with a disability, leading to earlier detection and support services. However, the current understanding of whether social-emotional assessments could function as effective screeners is limited (Izuno-Garcia et al., 2022). In this study, we use statewide data from a comprehensive school readiness assessment to examine the relationship between children’s school readiness skills at the beginning of kindergarten and disability identification at the end of kindergarten.

Research Questions
This study uses Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Project (VKRP) data in the 2021-22 school year to examine:
• To what extent do children’s fall school readiness skills (i.e., self-regulation, social skills, well-being, and teacher concern) relate to children’s spring disability status and categories (e.g., autism, developmental delay, and speech or language impairments)?

Method
This study uses the fall 2021 VKRP measures. Children’s self-regulation and social skills are assessed using the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). Teachers also report on five items that assess their perceptions of students’ well-being, and respond to an item about their level of concern for each child in their classroom. Two outcome measures are included, the disability flag and disability categories variables , collected from Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The sample was restricted to students with data on the spring disability variables and outcome measures. The final sample includes 85,050 students. Table 1 provides descriptive information for all the variables by disability status included in the study.

We used a logit regression and multinomial regression models in our analyses, controlling for other skills measures and demographic variables. The skill measures were standardized as z scores, and the results were shown in log odds.

Findings and Conclusion
Panel A and B in Table 2 indicate that students with a lower self-regulation skills, and reports of lower well-being and higher teacher concern were more likely to be identified with a disability while controlling other skills and demographic characteristics. There were differential patterns across disability categories. Unexpectedly, the association between teachers’ report of children’s social skills and disability status became positive after controlling other skill measures. This study suggests that school readiness data, particularly in the areas of self-regulation, well-being, and teacher concern, might be a helpful tool in early identification of children who may be at risk for disability identification.

Authors

• Zhiling Meng Shea, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Presenting Author

• Jessica E Whittaker, University of Virginia - Charlottesville

• Amanda P Williford, University of Virginia - Charlottesville

• Jamie DeCoster, University of Virginia