The Countdown to Kindergarten (CTK) program was developed to increase family awareness of kindergarten expectations, create a positive relationship with families, and support smooth school transition and kindergarten readiness for children who were from diverse backgrounds and/or had adverse experiences. We used a mixed methods design to study the…

Family support is essential for academic success and the creation of resilient learners. Support is a complex and contested terrain that is variously described based on disparate philosophical lenses through which it is viewed. It cannot be denied that learners are bound to encounter several challenges during their educational expedition that…

This hearing from the Subcommittee on Children and Families of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines the support of mental health in the transition from high school to college. Opening statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Robert Casey, Chairman, Subcommittee on Children and Families; and (2) Honorable Bill…

This paper reviews the literature examining the lifelong challenges to family members represented by the birth of a child with severe disabilities. The paper addresses issues of family life, the systems that affect families, and current and future concerns related to having a child with severe disabilities. Studies addressing families of infants,…

This study used an ethnographic approach to evaluate the impact of the South Dakota Head Start/Public School Transition Demonstration Project on school climate and parent involvement, focusing on the impact of family service coordinators. The demonstration group was composed of children and families who received comprehensive Head Start-like…

Early intervention programs have been designed to improve the educational chances for at-risk or poor children who are more likely than middle class children to come from families lacking characteristics that contribute to children's educational success. This study used an ethnographic orientation to evaluate the impact of the South Dakota Head…

This paper discusses the issues surrounding the transition from home or preschool to elementary school for children from low-income families, and examines the future direction of transition programs to help alleviate many of the difficulties that these families face. Noting that there are two venues for reform action, the curriculum and the family…

Using an action research model, this study concentrated on easing the transition into school by providing an induction program for preschool children which promotes the emotional needs of the child within the family. The research followed an ecological perspective, considering individual needs within the frameworks of school, home, and community…

This paper examines how various elements of five early- childhood-to-elementary school transition programs are being developed and carried out. Five transition programs were identified and investigated in regard to shared leadership and decisionmaking among stakeholders, comprehensive and integrated services, family involvement and empowerment,…

This study identified the types of transition activities practiced by kindergarten teachers/schools around the country, the relation of various school characteristics to transition activities, and the relation between transition activities and parent involvement during kindergarten. The study sample was comprised of 2,826 public school and 417…