Examining the Applicability of the What Works Clearinghouse’s “Preparing Young Children for School” Practice Guide to Black Children

Early childhood professionals are responsible for selecting empirically validated, culturally responsive interventions and recommendations. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness about promoting multicultural competence in preschool settings. The purpose of this paper is to examine the research evidence for the inclusion of Black children in the research studies that were used to develop these practical recommendations for preschool educators, as summarized by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). A systematic review was conducted of the original practice‐guide analysis, focusing on studies that met WWC standards and provided evidence supporting the guide’s recommendations. Out of 49 articles reviewed, approximately 43% included fewer than 25% Black children, 6% included no Black children, and 18% did not report race and ethnicity data. The analysis revealed a notable variance in the inclusion of Black children, highlighting a gap in early childhood and school psychology literature regarding the cultural relevance of recommendations for preparing young children for school. In addition to identifying gaps in intervention inclusion, this study offers actionable strategies for improving the cultural responsiveness of early childhood interventions. Implications for stakeholders include the need for disaggregated data, demographic reporting, and greater representation of diverse populations in early learning recommendations. Implications for research and practice will be discussed, including the validity of WWC studies and the relevance of these recommendations for young Black children.