TRANSITION TO PRESCHOOL:

1. TRANSITION TO PRESCHOOL: National Survey Findings and Implications for State Policy Beth Rous, Katherine McCormick & Teri Nowak, University of Kentucky

2. In This Session We Will….. • Review three current large scale studies in the area of transition • Present preliminary findings from a new large scale study of transition to preschool • Discuss state and local policy implications

3. What we know about the transition of young children: • Most of what we currently know about transition is based on two large scale studies: • National Head Start/ Public School Transition Study • Transition at Kindergarten from NCEDL Research

4. National Head Start/Public SchoolEarly Childhood Transition Demonstration Project • Sample • 4,284 kindergartners who were Head Start graduates and their caregivers • 28 sites in 435 schools in 81 districts in 28 states • Instrumentation • Measures of (1) family ecology, (2) child – PPVT & academic status, and (3) child and family PERCEPTIONS of school adjustment & attitudes toward school (Ramey et al., 2000)

5. Head Start/Public SchoolResults • 76% of the children reported liking school a lot (considered by the authors as reflective of positive transitions) • More than 30% of the families reported some strategy for promoting positive school experiences and transition to school • Some differences based on site/demographics

6. Key indicators of a successful transition to kindergarten include: • Families show positive attitudes toward school and learning • Teachers recognize and value difference and provide DAP • Linkage of all stakeholders in positive and mutually supporting focused efforts

7. National Center for Early Development & Learning (NCEDL) • Sample • Random stratified sample from population of over 117,000 (target sample of 10,071 resulting - final sample of 3,595 teachers) • Instrumentation (Survey) • Included 21 transition to kindergarten practices • Included 16 potential barriers to transition to kindergarten (Pianta et al., 2002)

8. Preschool to Kindergarten Results • Most common practices were: • talk with families after school starts • letter to families after school begins • open house after school starts • Least common practices were: • home visiting (before or after) • a visit to the preschool

9. Preschool to Kindergarten Results • Significant differences were evidenced based on different levels of demographic indicators • “children who are likely to benefit most from personalized, proactive, and intense practices aimed at facilitating transition to kindergarten are the least likely to be the recipients of such practices” (Pianta et al., page 83 )

10. What we know about children • Some experience interacting with other adults and familiarity with cooperating and following their directions is important to successful transition • A regular routine or schedule that provides children with a sense of predictability helps promote successful transition

11. What we know about families • Family involvement in the both the school and their child’s education makes a difference. • All families should have a personal contact with the school (preferably the child’s teacher) before school starts that is low stress and designed for the school to LISTEN to the parents. • Families can be involved by preparing children for classroom work in several ways such as: • reading to children, visiting a library, participating in story time, singing songs, playing games, and conversing regularly about day-to-day activities.

12. What we know about families • Families can be involved by preparing children for classroom work in several ways such as: • reading to children, • visiting a library, • participating in story time, • singing songs, • playing games, and • conversing regularly about day-to-day activities.

13. What we know about programs • Teachers should communicate with one another and the family about the child’s needs and the classroom experiences that are and will be offered in their settings. • Teachers should visit each other’s classrooms. • Teachers should meet to connect their curriculum and expectations to one another • Teachers should meet with parents to talk about the transition needs of individual children.

14. What we know about communities • Communities should develop transition plans, processes, and evaluation of transition plans and identify who is responsible for implementing these plans. • A variety of transition strategies should be offered to families and tailored to meet their individual needs rather than implementing a one-size-fits-all program.

15. What we know about communities • Collaboration in developing and implementing transition plans requires flexibility and sensitivity to the unique perspectives and constraints of the programs involved. • Schools and programs can implement a transition planning process that results in each school or program developing their own transition plan, with little additional financial resources.

16. What we know about state policies and practices • States can initiate and support the development of transition planning in local programs, schools and communities. • States MUST develop a conceptual model that is shared by all stakeholders. • Identify key constituencies • Identify leadership • Timelines of key events • Identify the responsibilities of key constituencies

17. A Conceptual Framework for Transition Rous, Hallam, Harbin, McCormick and Jung, 2005

18. NECTC National Preschool Survey • Study the Transition into Public Preschool • Collaborative Replication of the NCEDL National Kindergarten Transition Survey (1996)

19. Study Purpose • To determine the current status of transition practices at public school preschools in the U.S. (rate of use) • To identify common barriers and facilitators to recommended transition practices • To examine demographic differences in transition practices in public school preschools

20. Sample • Public preschool teachers • Teaching 3-, 4-, or 5-year-olds who are not enrolled in Kindergarten • Mailed 10,000 surveys • Adjusted Sample of 9718 (219 Not Preschool Teacher; 63 undeliverable) • Return rate of 25.04%

21. What we know about public preschool in American today 3-Year-Olds 4-Year-Olds NIEER: State of Preschool: 2004 Yearbook

22. The Survey • 51 questions • School Information (6) • Teacher/Classroom Information (21) • Entering Preschool (5) • Transition Practices (8) • Moving from Preschool to Kindergarten (6) • Information Resources (2) • One open comment

23. Components from the survey for discussion • 25 questions • identify transition practices for children entering preschool to determine rate of use by preschool teachers • 22 factors • identify what preschool teachers report as barriers or facilitators for transition to preschool • 11 questions • Identify transition practices for children entering kindergarten to determine the rate of use by preschool teachers

24. Sample – Teacher Description N = 2,433 82% (n=1,983) serve children with disabilities

25. Sample – Program Description • Program Location • Housed within elementary school = 70% • Housed in another building on elementary campus = 14.5% • Housed in building separate from elementary campus = 15%

26. Regional Distribution of the Sample

27. Most Common Transition Practices to Preschool   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

28. Most Common Transition Practices to Kindergarten (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

29. Comparison of Practices Kindergarten and Preschool (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

30. Least Common Transition Practices to Preschool   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

31. Least Common Transition Practices to Kindergarten (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

32. Comparison of Practices Kindergarten and Preschool (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

33. Commonly Reported Barriers to A Good Transition at Preschool   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

34. Commonly Reported Barriers to A Good Transition to Kindergarten (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

35. Comparison of Practices Kindergarten and Preschool (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

36. Commonly Reported Facilitators to A Good Transition to Preschool

37. Most Common Transition Practices to Kindergarten   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

38. Most Common Transition Practices to 1st Grade (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

39. Comparison of PracticesKindergarten and Preschool (Pianta et al., 1999)   Differences noted when percentages varied by at least 1%

40. What Implications for Policy Can You Identify? • For example: • Administrative leave/pay for teachers during summer • Determining place/school PRIOR to the beginning of school • Development and support for strategies to increase family involvement • Development and use of a transition plan

41. For More NECTC Information Teri Nowak, Project Coordinator Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute University of Kentucky 126 Mineral Industries Building Lexington, KY 40506-0051 Phone: 859-257-2081 Toll Free: 866-742-4015 Fax: 859-257-2769 Email: tmnowa0@uky.edu http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/nectc