This Roadmap provides a system-level vision for the state of Colorado to plan and provide support to families, early care and education (ECE) providers, PreK-12 educators, and other professionals to ensure all children experience successful transitions to kindergarten. The document highlights strategies at both state and local levels, and for both “sending” (ECE) and “receiving”
Transitions to Kindergarten in Colorado: A Roadmap Read More »
This report, developed by researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago, the National P-3 Center, Child Trends, and Dr. Kyle DeMeo Cook, summarizes the current state of research on the transition from Head Start to kindergarten and offers a theory of change to show how systems can work together to improve the experiences children and
Head Start to Kindergarten Transitions: Research Summary Read More »
This brief provides a review of recent research (2016-2021) on transitions to kindergarten. It focuses on [a] transition practices that children and families may experience directly; and [b] the policy levers that state and local policymakers can enact to support effective transitions to kindergarten. This brief was prepared for Education Commission of the States as
Transition to Kindergarten: Findings from Recent Research Read More »
Across the nation, young students, pre-school through 3rd grade, are experiencing transitions in their learning contexts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “School” may be in-person, at-home, on-line, or a hybrid of these arrangements. The school year likely began in one format and has shifted, once or multiple times, since then. School districts, elementary schools, and their early
Pandemic-Related Transitions: P-3 Learning Contexts Read More »
As states and school districts navigate plans for Fall 2020, we are hosting a series of conversations with education decisionmakers in state education agencies (SEAs) and school districts. We believe better and smarter ideas emerge when colleagues have the space for open discussion and deliberation. This resource provides a summary of our conversations to date and
This report discusses why transitions from PreK to K matter, highlighting effective transition and alignment practices, explaining funding streams that can support transition planning and activities, and sharing state and local examples. The authors conclude with action steps for states, school districts, and elementary schools to consider to ensure smooth transitions into kindergarten using federal,
Using Local, State, and Federal Dollars to Improve Pre-K to K Transitions Read More »
This report describes innovative efforts by schools and districts to ease the transition into kindergarten for families and students, including students without access to an ECE program prior to kindergarten. The paper highlights a range of approaches at different stages of development in schools and districts, highlighting Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub (Northeast Oregon), Multnomah
This report examines strategies implemented by four states to improve the kindergarten transition process: West Virginia, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. The authors describe actions each state has taken to address the difficulties that often arise in the transition to kindergarten and the opportunities and challenges with their various approaches. The report concludes with four policy
Connecting the Steps: State Strategies to Ease the Transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten Read More »
This policy brief argues that child care centers and Head Start programs should not be the only agencies trying to help their families navigate the new world of Kindergarten and elementary school. It asserts that elementary school principals should recognize the value in establishing relationships with center administrators and building connections between what happens before
Connecting Pre-K and the Early Grades: Principals on Transitions Read More »
This edition of Voices in Urban Education, published by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, highlights a wide range of perspectives on how to support children and their families through early education transitions, highlighting the importance of alignment between early learning and K–12 programs, collaboration across systems (such as education, health, and housing) that have a role in keeping children
Promoting Seamless Transitions from Preschool to Kindergarten and Beyond Read More »
