Kindergarten readiness plays a very important role in children’s later school success. This study investigated factors associated with kindergarten readiness in early literacy skills, mathematical knowledge, and social foundations using a hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) approach. Assessment data of 617 kindergarteners (Aged 5) in 30 classrooms nested within 28 elementary schools in one state in the southeastern United States were analyzed. Participation in a kindergarten transition program, attendance in a Pre-K program, and family engagement were positively associated with children’s readiness in all three domains. Interaction effects between school-level factors (i.e., poverty, ranking) and child-level factors (i.e., Pre-K program attendance) on children’s performance in early literacy skills were identified. The findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of transition programs as well as policymaking in early education and development. We recommend that policymakers should consider targeting resources to rural, high-poverty, and underinvested communities to promote equitable access to high-quality programs that support children and their families.

幼儿园的准备对于孩子日后在学校的成功起着非常重要的作用。本研究使用分层线性模型 (HLM) 方法调查了与幼儿园早期读写能力、数学知识和社会基础准备程度相关的因素。对美国东南部一个州 28 所小学 30 个教室的 617 名幼儿园学生（5 岁）的评估数据进行了分析。参与幼儿园过渡计划、参加学前班计划和家庭参与与儿童在这三个领域的准备程度呈正相关。确定了学校因素（即贫困、排名）和儿童因素（即学前班课程出勤率）之间对儿童早期识字技能表现的相互作用影响。研究结果可用于指导过渡计划的设计和实施以及早期教育和发展的政策制定。我们建议政策制定者考虑将资源投放到农村、高度贫困和投资不足的社区，以促进公平地获得支持儿童及其家庭的高质量项目。