Executive function mediates socio-economic and racial differences in early academic achievement

• Explored executive function (EF) and verbal ability as mechanisms of achievement gaps.
• EF and verbal ability assessed in kindergarten, academic achievement assessed Grade 1.
• Structural equation modeling used to test direct and indirect effects.
• SES and minority status indirectly related to achievement; effects mediated by EF.
• EF effects were more strongly related to mathematics than reading achievement.

Although associations between socio-economic status, race, and academic achievement are well established, the specific mechanisms that underlie the relation remain incompletely understood. This longitudinal investigation, involving a sample of 206 children from economically and racially diverse backgrounds, examined the influence of executive function and expressive vocabulary assessed in kindergarten on academic achievement in Grade 1. The use of structural equation modeling revealed that both SES and race had indirect effects on achievement test scores through their effects on executive function, even when accounting for differences in expressive vocabulary. As expected, executive function was more strongly related to math than literacy achievement. The results provide support for the importance of targeting executive skills and intervening early in efforts to improve academic performance in young children. Moreover, the findings suggest that improving executive function may mitigate the impact of social risk factors on academic achievement.