Newsweek: More than half of children not ready for kindergarten in 5 states

Nov 13, 2026, Newsweek: Map shows states where most US kids fail basic kindergarten tests

More than half of the children in Ohio, Florida, Maryland and Kentucky did not meet their overall kindergarten readiness benchmark, a new federal report found.

“Kindergarten is the main entry point to public school, but not all children enter with the foundational skills that enable them to be ready to learn,” the report said.

Kindergarten readiness refers to “the skills and abilities needed to succeed in school,” including social development, a basic grasp of language, physical well-being and motor skills. Each state has its own method for assessing this readiness. The five states included in the report were selected because of their individual methods and readiness benchmarks are directly comparable.