Many children from low-income families begin school already far behind. The research also shows that children from low-income homes are less likely to be read to or spoken to regularly or have access to books, literacy rich environments, high quality early care, and prekindergarten programs. As a consequence, these children may hear as many as 30 million fewer words than their middle-income peers before reaching kindergarten. Research shows that such interactions are critical for language development, an important precursor to literacy.