Children who enter kindergarten prepared through early learning are far more likely to read proficiently by third grade
Dawn Montecalvo
March 14, 2026, 6:02 a.m. ET
One morning, I watched a preschooler carefully write the letters of her name. Her face lit up when she finished. It’s an expression I’ve seen hundreds of times, and each time I am reminded that early education matters. In that moment, I didn’t just see a child learning to write, but a child discovering what she is capable of becoming. As Children’s Week Florida unfolded in Tallahassee, attention turned to the state’s youngest learners, children whose futures are already taking shape in classrooms across Florida, including those we see every day in Immokalee. By the time children enter kindergarten in Florida, their future has already begun. Early differences in access, stability and opportunity rarely fade. Without sustained support, they deepen.
Too often, policies focus on isolated milestones such as kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading and high school graduation. Each is valuable, but none alone is enough. Long-term outcomes are shaped by continuity, not episodic intervention. More than 380,000 Florida children are in the earliest stages of learning. During this time, brain development, language acquisition and social-emotional growth unfold simultaneously. High-quality early education is the foundation for all future learning. The data is clear: Children who enter kindergarten prepared are far more likely to read proficiently by third grade, a milestone strongly linked to graduation and postsecondary success.
Unfortunately, more than half of Florida’s children begin kindergarten behind. Statewide readiness rates range from 43% to 51%. Approximately 75% of students who start school behind grade level never catch up to grade level. As Florida considers investments in school readiness, the question is not whether we can afford to invest earlier, but whether we can afford not to. I see what sustained investment makes possible every day at Guadalupe Center. Ninety-three percent of our students enter kindergarten ready to learn with the academic, emotional and social foundation to succeed. That result reflects years of intentional focus during the most formative stages of life, before gaps widen and remediation becomes more complex and costly. Quality early learning is not simply good practice. It is a proven economic strategy with an estimated annual return of roughly 13%.
But readiness is only the beginning. In Immokalee, thousands of elementary students participate annually in academic enrichment programs that extend through the school year and summer, preventing learning loss and reinforcing high expectations. Over time, I’ve watched elementary students become first-generation college graduates who return as teachers, nurses, engineers, and professionals investing back into their community. Florida’s economic future depends on its youngest residents. Workforce readiness begins with early literacy, sustained support, and high expectations. When we invest early and stay committed, families reimagine what is possible, communities strengthen, and generational trajectories shift.
Education is long-term infrastructure that breaks cycles of poverty and builds a stronger state. As lawmakers consider the direction of Florida’s future, I hope they remember the children learning to write the letters of their names in classrooms across our state. They are tomorrow’s workforce, community leaders and drivers of our economy. If Florida is serious about expanding opportunity, continued investment in early childhood education will be essential.
For more than two decades, Dawn Montecalvo has dedicated her career to expanding educational opportunities for children and families in Southwest Florida. As president & CEO of Guadalupe Center in Immokalee since2016, she leads the organization’s growth to serve more than 2,000 students annually through early childhood education, academic support, and college preparation programs.
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