Compared the beliefs of preschool teachers, kindergarten teachers, and parents regarding children's school readiness in one mostly Hispanic and Black high-need urban school district. Found that parents held remarkably similar beliefs, regardless of ethnicity or education. Parents rated all classroom-related readiness resources such as…

The overall issue of assessment during early childhood, and its relation to school readiness and other decisions, is currently widely debated. Expanding early childhood education and child care enrollments, better scientific knowledge about early childhood development, and decisions about public spending, necessitate careful consideration of which…

Definitions of school readiness tend to focus on social and academic competencies that children are presumed to need to start school ready to learn. However, a child-focused definition of school readiness is limited because it neither identifies processes that lead children to acquire these competencies, nor does it recognize children's dependence…

The early childhood educational field has garnered attention with initiatives to foster skill acquisition in young children prior to kindergarten entry. These initiatives, in conjunction with the rigorous demands of curricular reform and a burgeoning accountability movement, invoke questions regarding the adequacy of the instruments used to assess…

This article offers input and advice to students, parents, and professionals--faculty and counselors--in connection with the so-called millennials, young students entering university since year 2000. Students must recognize the change in the academy. They must be prepared for large first-year classes in which everyone enters as an A student.…

In 2000, state agencies and foundations in Hawai'i were poised to support readiness efforts to improve educational outcomes for children. There was, however, a lack of shared understanding of the construct of readiness to guide these efforts. Parents, teachers, and school administrators all play a critical role in the education of young children.…

In this article, the author describes some of the key research findings that demonstrate the relationship between school readiness and preschool play. She begins with definitions of both school readiness and play, and then describes the teacher's role in ensuring that play is used effectively to promote school readiness. The author goes on to…

The study examined the multivariate relationship between dimensions of preschool emotional and behavioral adjustment assessed at the beginning of the year by the Adjustment Scales for Preschool Intervention (ASPI) and multiple learning and social competencies at the end of the year with an urban Head Start sample. This study also examined the…

The EZ-Yale Personality Motivation Questionnaire (EZPQ) was used to measure motivation as a facet of school readiness in a sample of 133 children during the spring of their final year of Head Start. Three motivational constructs assessed by the EZPQ, academic mastery motivation, negative reaction tendency, and outerdirectedness, were associated…

Parents struggle with kindergarten readiness, seeking advice from early childhood educators. The author offers suggestions for helping with this decision, along with definitions of readiness, accountability pressures, and "redshirting." The article compares maturationist assumptions with current research, concluding that delaying kindergarten…

A portfolio assessment is an individual collection of daily drawings, photographs, writings samples, audiotapes, video recordings, and other materials that provide visual and/or auditory documentation of a child's strengths. In this article, the authors present steps on how to complete a portfolio assessment. These are: (1) Identify type of…

This study describes the design, implementation, and outcomes of a school-based readiness program for prekindergarten children (4-year-olds) and their families. The program was designed on the basis of a collaborative model of university-school partnership, and the program itself featured relationship-building between families and schools. The…

Aboriginal people have been described as the most educationally disadvantaged group of people within Australia. Their participation rates at all levels of education are lower than those of non-Indigenous Australians. In an effort to enhance the learning and teaching of Aboriginal students, education systems are seeking appropriate strategies and…

This study provides understanding of college readiness from the perspectives of older first-generation college students who transferred from community colleges. Results indicate that life experiences contribute to academic skills, time management, goal focus, and self-advocacy. Research is recommended to improve nontraditional student advising and…

Community partnerships serving young children and families take many forms. This article presents six community partnerships that are engaged in innovative and creative approaches to learning. These programs have varied goals, but they share a common focus on linking community resources to enhance learning opportunities for the children and…