In 2021, California committed to providing universal prekindergarten (UPK) for all 4-year-olds and expanding access for income-eligible 3-year-olds by 2025-2026. California UPK includes several early learning programs, including transitional kindergarten (TK), the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Head Start, and locally funded early…

Research evidence suggests that summer breaks contribute to income-based achievement and opportunity gaps for children and youth. However, summertime can also be used to provide programs that support an array of goals for children and youth, including improved academic achievement, physical health, mental health, social and emotional well-being,…

Available resources and indicators of high quality inclusive practices are presented in this compilation. Assembling many different resources in one place allows for easy comparison of potential indicators of quality. Excerpts and adaptations of the resources are intended to provide some familiarity with the content of each resource and encourage…

Reviews and critiques research on full- and extended-day, everyday kindergarten programs. Describes methodological limitations and general weaknesses of the research. Identifies areas for future research. Review indicates that the effect of both full- and extended-day kindergarten on basic academic skills is positive. (RWB)

This article describes the implementation of small-group reading instruction as secondary- and tertiary-level components of a three-tier model of prevention and intervention. The study consisted of 83 students who were targeted in the winter of kindergarten as being at high risk for reading failure. Intervention consisted of evidence-based…

Presented here is an overview of Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM)--a standardized process of obtaining data regarding a student's acquisition of skills in reading, writing, math, and spelling. A review of research that has utilized CBM in its efforts to define effective teaching strategies also is offered. Overall, the goal of this discussion is…

The study examines the effectiveness of the New York City mandated (Chapter 53 of the Laws of 1980) screening program to identify handicapped and gifted students entering kindergarten or first grade. Noted are the law's assumptions: (1) that it is possible to determine giftedness or handicapping conditions at ages 5 and 6; (2) that it is possible…

Examining problems and questions related to full-day kindergarten, this book deals broadly with early childhood curriculum design and development. It suggests specific step-by-step ways to plan an emergent curriculum based upon integrated, dynamic themes that grow out of children's diverse personal and cultural experiences. Addressed to teachers,…

An elementary school teacher and counselor designed a practicum which provided a model that teachers and parents used to enhance the developmental and academic skills of kindergarten children. The major goal was to increase the acquisition of skills through the child's preferred learning modality. Teachers and parents were given training that…

A behavior modification program was implemented to improve attendance and punctuality patterns of kindergarten students attending a small, rural elementary school. Also incorporated into the intervention were self-esteem and parent involvement components. Motivational strategies used were: a token economy; group-oriented behavior management…

Discusses the change in kindergarten from an emergency or welfare institution to an integral part of family life and early education. Argues that, although the nature of kindergarten has changed, the training of kindergarten teachers has not. Suggests that future kindergarten teachers be trained in teaching theory rather than just personality…

Over a l0-week period, an elementary school teacher designed and implemented a practicum study intended to help a target group of 24 kindergartners develop crucial mathematical problem-solving skills and to prepare them for taking the Stanford Achievement Test. The objective was addressed through implementation of direct instruction, modeling,…

Summarizes research on recent developments in the trend toward full-day kindergarten programs. Topics covered include (1) full-day and half-day differential gains, (2) the nature of gains produced by full-day kindergarten, (3) the lack of causal relations among program components, (4) enduring effects, (5) differential student effects, and (6)…

A case study describes the installation of economic education at the kindergarten-primary grades in one state. The effectiveness of the process depends on the demand for such instruction, the materials available, the willingness and capabilities of teachers, and the time allocated for such instruction. (Author/RM)

A guidance counselor and chair of an elementary school's special services team implemented a 10-week practicum intervention designed to improve the school attendance of 107 kindergarten through fifth grade students who were chronically absent. While 49 percent of the truant students lived in an inner-city housing project, 62 percent lived in…