Study reveals many kids unprepared for school: In B.C. 30% of kindergartners are vulnerable in key areas
Daily News [Nanaimo]
By Robert Barron
September 23, 2010

Nearly half of all students entering kindergarten in some Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district neighbourhoods are not adequately prepared for school, according to a study conducted by the University of B.C.

Overall, data from 53 of the 59 B.C. districts that participated in the study showed that 30.3% of the province's kindergarten children were considered "vulnerable" last year in five areas: language, communications, social, emotional and physical health.

In 2008, the government set a target to reduce vulnerability rates for students entering B.C.'s school system to 15% by 2015 and has embarked on a number of new programs, including the introduction of full-day kindergarten and StrongStart initiatives, to try to address the issue.

However, the report concludes that vulnerability rates across the province have increased in the past 10 years.

According to the study, neighbourhoods in south Nanaimo averaged about 43% in vulnerability rates and the numbers drop off in the north end, with the Hammond Bay area averaging just 10.5%….

She said there are still "lots" of vulnerable young learners in the district and the issue isn't entirely related to families living in poverty, with many coming from fairly well-off families in which both parents work full-time, leaving little time to help their young children prepare for school…

UBC's Clyde Hertzman concluded that two-thirds of the development vulnerabilities among new kindergarten students is "preventable."