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…

The use of young children's art work in the assessment of reading readiness was studied through a qualitative research design. Subjects were 12 transitional-first-grade students from an elementary school, each of whom was treated as a case study. Artwork was collected from each child each month of the school year and reading levels were recorded.…

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…

The paper examines ways to enhance the transition of handicapped students from special preschools to public school kindergartens. The importance of careful planning, evaluation, and modification for individual needs is stressed. The effects of larger class size in kindergartens include requirements for students to obey group instructions, work…

This article draws on data collected during a year-long ethnographic study of six Spanish-dominant English language learners, enrolled in both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Spanish Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) "pull-out" programs, in an English kindergarten classroom. The study is based on a theoretical framework that…

Noting the importance of young children's school readiness, the Danish Ministry of Education initiated transition activities to help preschoolers make a successful transition to kindergarten. This study examined Danish teachers' understanding of and attitudes toward transition activities. The study's questionnaire listed 32 typical transition…

A qualitative observational study of standardized group testing in 10 kindergartens revealed variations in testing conditions, discrepancies from standardized administration procedures, and variations in children's behavior that contributed to difficulties in maintaining a uniform testing process. High-stakes group testing in kindergarten should…

Thirty-two programs across the country were selected to participate in the National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Project. The project's mission was to replicate the Head Start delivery model within the public school in order to facilitate a smooth transition for children and families. Project effectiveness was examined on…

This paper describes a supported transition plan for preschool students with special needs who are entering a kindergarten classroom. The transition plan includes the following phases: (1) make decision regarding kindergarten placement; (2) develop a preplacement plan which includes a visitation to the preschool program by kindergarten staff; and…

The effects of an extra-year transition program after kindergarten on fourth grade students' achievement and self-esteem levels were examined in this study using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale and the Stanford Achievement Test. Fourth grade students from a school district in central Alabama who had participated in the extra-year…

An evaluation of the developmental first grade, or pre-first grade, program of the Irving Independent School District (Texas) was conducted through four studies. Students are placed in the pre-first grade as a transition between kindergarten and first grade, typically on the basis of some assessment of maturity. The first study examined the…

This research report describes a follow-up study of children from a large urban school district that had widely implemented a pre-kindergarten program. The study examined the critical transition between primary and upper elementary grades for enduring effects of early educational experiences. A sample of 141 children enrolled in 68 urban schools…

Urban Head Start graduates were compared with comparably poor Pre-K graduates in this longitudinal study, in an effort to evaluate the long-term effects of the Head Start program. A sample of 227 children were included in an analysis of third-grade report cards, standardized Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) achievement scores, and a…