Issues concerning teachers' beliefs and practices about retention in kindergarten were explored in a study of 40 kindergarten teachers in one district. Teachers' beliefs and practices were found to be related. Teachers' endorsement of retention differed from extant propositional knowledge and from perceptions of other interested groups. (SLD)

The nation's teachers are dissatisfied with school reform impacts. To improve schooling, we must begin with the children--not dry abstractions such as students, cohorts, and classes. Teachers recommend that well-paid, literate older people help in classrooms, since children are arriving at school with fewer skills and less readiness. (MLH)

Examined the predictive validity of the Gesell School Readiness Tests by correlating measured developmental age and performance in 151 first-grade students. Results show a positive relationship between developmental age and report card grades, modest predictive validity for standardized tests, and low validity for teacher judgment of first-grade…

School districts are increasingly instituting kindergarten retention policies and establishing readiness and pre-first-grade transition programs. Using readiness tests to classify, promote, and retain children is inappropriate and costly. Various high stakes tests are reviewed and alternative strategies suggested. Includes 18 references. (MLH)

Studied patterns of usage and factors behind parental choices of early childhood care and educational services for four- and five-year olds. Found that, regardless of type of service, most parents believed that young children experienced positive learning and developmental outcomes from participation and that, despite problems with each service…

Calls for new priorities in U.S. federal government that focus on children and deemphasize military spending. All government efforts to improve education will be worthless unless more attention and funding is devoted to children's readiness to learn. (LB)

The National Association of Elementary School Principals has developed standards designed to help schools and school districts meet their obligations to parents of young children. Four of the group's recommendations are offered. (DG)

Comments on Walker's article in this issue. Argues that Walker's study demonstrates the reliability of the Gesell Developmental Assessment (GDA) but leaves unresolved several key questions about the GDA's validity. (GLR)

Discusses readiness for kindergarten, noting all children enter kindergarten at different developmental stages. The article examines common characteristics of kindergarten children and appropriate educational goals. It also makes recommendations to help parents enrich their children's experiences before and during kindergarten. (SM)

As the community's richest information and learning resource center, the public library is an essential partner of parents and schools in achieving the national education goals. The public library could help reinforce teaching and assist parents in preparing young children for school. Adequate funding is necessary for public libraries' continued…

Most U.S. children have opportunity to participate in one year of publicly supported schooling prior to first grade. Children's school-entry age differs by as much as 18 months. Hours of participation varies widely, as do teachers' academic backgrounds. Rarely are teachers assisted by aides or principals with early childhood education training. To…

Investigates teacher receptivity to a proposal to relocate year 7 primary classes to secondary schools in the Western Australia Catholic school system. Receptivity was strongly and positively related to the perceived practicality of the change and moderately, positively related to the readiness of year 7 students for secondary school. (27…

During the 1960s, Dorothy Rich used paper cartons, tables, lamps, chairs, electric bills, and other paraphernalia of home life to construct "recipes" to help parents prepare their kids for achieving academic success. Rich's contemporary MegaSkills training program, developed at the Home and School Institute, is highly regarded. (MLH)

Findings by C. Ripple and colleagues justify a continued role for the federal Head Start program, but only if Head Start invests seriously and consistently in high-quality programs and ends the present fragmentation of services. Calls for effective technical assistance to programs and active collaboration with other agencies. (SLD)

Describes how Rosemary Wells's new books about "Edward Unready" explain children and readiness; explores the problems with her message, and suggests new endings that are more supportive of all children. Asserts that variability in development should not be mistaken for deficit, and recommends changing the focus from judging children to…