Children's early school experiences shape their learning in future years. The transition from pre-kindergarten, or pre-K, to kindergarten is particularly important. This critical time builds the foundation for children's academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills, as well as families' relationships with their child's teachers for years to…

Effective transitions to kindergarten engage families and ease children into new environments. Countdown to Kindergarten (CTK), a program in a southeastern U.S. state that serves more than 1,000 children each year and is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, partners kindergarten teachers and families to facilitate effective…

The transition to and through kindergarten is consequential for the academic, social, and emotional wellbeing of children. Policies and practices are in place to smooth that transition. Researchers are working to understand which practices work best and for whom, particularly as the student population in U.S. schools continues to diversify. In…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasizes that students and parents are equal partners in the individualized education program (IEP) process, including planning for transition to postsecondary education, employment, and community living. This is especially important for English learners (ELs) with disabilities, yet little is known…

Based on the intersection of different systems at school entry, children and families often experience uncertainty about their preparedness and impending shift from other early childhood settings. This study used a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design and investigated the perspectives of parents and caregivers on kindergarten readiness with…

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' lived experiences when considering the impact of their parental involvement and parenting styles on their ethnic minority youth with disabilities, transition outcomes, and mental health. Specifically, the research sought to explore how parents' levels of engagement in their children's education may…

School counselors are trained to holistically serve all students' personal and academic development while also fostering college and career readiness (CCR). However, many school counselors inadequately serve students with disabilities due to a lack of training and/or time. Transition specialists are professionals staffed in the special education…

Parent engagement in the transition planning process for students with IEPs is an essential indicator for positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities graduating from high school. Barriers to parent participation include lack of communication, trust, and knowledge of the process in which they are participating. Educators must seek…

This study examines Chinese immigrant parents' educational involvement beliefs and practices during their children's transition to kindergarten in the United States. Interviews were conducted with 10 Chinese immigrant parents in an area with a small Chinese population and limited ethnic resources. Three main themes emerged. First, limited English…

The transition from primary to secondary school is a stressful period for autistic individuals. However, less is known about parental experiences of the school transition, and its impact on the family. This study explored mothers' perspectives on the psychological impact of the transition to secondary school for their autistic children and their…

Background: Parents have long held an important role in their autistic children's lives. As autistic individuals enroll in higher education institutions at much higher rates, new issues emerge. In particular, autistic college students and their parents must reconcile the major transition with the extent to which parents must be involved and exert…

The problem that was addressed in this study was that students with severe intellectual disabilities (SwSID) enrolled in life skills settings are not receiving adequate transition planning services at local rural public schools in a southwestern state. The purpose of this study was to investigate special education teachers' (SET) perceptions about…

Transition to kindergarten is an important developmental milestone for children and families. This study explored factors associated with kindergarten readiness focusing on the impact of a summer kindergarten transition program. A mixed-method design was employed, and the qualitative data from interviews with 16 randomly selected kindergarten…

Over the past three decades, various efforts have been made to develop special education policies and services in Syria. However, to guarantee the improvement of special education services and to develop sustainable national enhancements during both the emergency and reconstruction phases of the Syrian Civil War, it is necessary to continue to…

Objectives: In the process of transition services, the active participation of teachers and parents is an important key to the successful employment and independent living of students with intellectual disabilities after leaving school. Methods: This study adopted a case study method, taking a high school in Taiwan that has a good transition…