School readiness of first-graders and associated factors: Identifying region-specific characteristics

Abstract

The regions of Russia enjoy substantial autonomy in shaping their own education systems. However, there is very little objective empirical data on specific features of the development, for instance, of preschool and elementary school children in the regions. This situation renders it difficult to make informed decisions on any corrections required to meet region-specific needs. We analyzed the basic mathematical and reading skills of preschoolers in two regional capitals - Krasnoyarsk and Kazan. We applied the IPIPS study, which allows for assessing the skills of children starting school, to a sample of about 2,750 first-graders in the two cities. As we found out, the level of basic mathematical and reading skills correlated most strongly with such factors as sociocultural capital, early childhood education experience, and language spoken at home. Meanwhile, location in a specific region had virtually no impact on the skills analyzed.