Preschool to kindergarten transition activities: involvement and satisfaction of families and teachers.

--La Paro, Kraft-Sayre, & Pianta

This study illustrates the transition activities that families and teachers use in the National Center for Early Learning and Development's Kindergarten Transition Project. More than 100 high-risk children and families were studied as the children entered preschool and were followed through the kindergarten year. Two state-funded preschool programs for 4-year-old children were included in the intervention. One school-based preschool program was located in close proximity to their future kindergarten placement. The second program involved a centralized preschool center, with six classrooms serving city residents. The preschool children were grouped according to their anticipated enrollment in a specific elementary school. Family workers employed by the school system facilitated individualized transition activities. Transition practices in four categories involved family-school connections, child-school connections, peer connections, and community connections. Families were provided a wide variety of experiences rather than a standard program that exposed all participants to the same approach. Teachers and families completed questionnaires and were interviewed about these activities. Findings indicate that when offered the opportunity to participate in a range of transition activities, the vast majority chose to participate. Having their children visit a kindergarten classroom was the transition activity in which most families participated. Work schedules were the greatest barrier to families' participation. Overall, fewer kindergarten teachers reported participating in transition activities than did preschool teachers. An overwhelming majority of preschool teachers visited kindergarten classrooms with their preschoolers. Kindergarten teachers were involved in these visits, but not as many of these teachers went to preschool classrooms or had contact with families before kindergarten began. They reported that summer work not supported by their salaries was the greatest barrier to participation.