Commonwealth Policy Center

According to a recent KIDS COUNT report, over half of Kentucky kids aren’t ready for kindergarten. The study found that only 48 percent of Kentucky’s four and five year olds are ready to start school. The report says that these unprepared children are suffering from Adverse Childhood Experiences, including: violence, abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or parental separation. When kids live in abusive or broken homes its a tragedy. But kids have a strike against them when they’re growing up in single parent homes. About one quarter of American kids live in single parent households. Some contend the solution is universal pre-kindergarten. But a better proposal is encouraging family formation. Homes led by moms and dads nurture children who will be better prepared not just for school, but for life.