Research Resources on Transition

Use this list to dig deeper into the research that explores the nature of and evidence behind various aspects of the transition to kindergarten.

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Berlin, L. J.; R.D. Dunning, and K.A. Dodge. "Enhancing the Transition to Kindergarten: A Randomized Trial to Test the Efficacy of the 'Stars' Summer Kindergarten Orientation Program." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26(2) (2011): 247–254.

This article examines the efficacy of an intensive, four-week summer kindergarten orientation program called "Stars." The program is designed to enhance low-income children's transition to kindergarten by focusing on social competence, pre-literacy and -numeracy skills, school routines, and parental involvement. Results from this study indicate the program eased children's social transition as judged by kindergarten teachers, but the positive effect is found only among girls.

 

Borman, G. D.; M. E. Goetz,  N. M. Dowling. "Halting the Summer Achievement Slide: A Randomized Field Trial of the KindergARTen Summer Camp." Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 14(2)(2009): 133–147.

Review evidence concerning the causal effect of the KindergARTen summer camp, a six-week summer program in literacy and the fine arts, on five measures of students' literacy achievement. The field trial found treatment effects during the summer months that were of both practical and statistical significance on the Developmental Reading Assessment and the Word List A assessments.

 

Early, D. M.; R. C. Pianta,  and M. J. Cox. "Kindergarten Teachers and Classrooms: A Transition Context." Early Education and Development, 10(1) (1999): 25–46.

Learn about the demographic and structural features of kindergarten classrooms as a first step in providing the context of the transition to kindergarten. The findings from this article indicate kindergarten teachers have a lot of education and experience, but lack specific training on facilitating transitions to kindergarten. In general, kindergarten classrooms meet National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines for class size, but are larger than some research indicates is optimal.

 

Epstein, J. L.. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2001.

Examine how teachers and administrators can prepare themselves to create positive and productive partnerships with families and communities. The book includes readings by outside authors.

 

Laverick, D. M. "Starting School: Welcoming Young Children and Families into Early School Experiences." Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(4) (2008): 321–326.

This article addresses four key components of support for young children who are starting kindergarten:

• Consideration of the developmental characteristics of young children
• Recognition of factors that affect adjustment to new situations
• Establishment of relationships with families
• Implementation of strategies that assist young children in making this important transition

 

LoCasale-Crouch, J.; A. J. Mashburn,  J. T. Downer, and  R. C. Pianta. "Pre-kindergarten Teachers' Use of Transition Practices and Children's Adjustment to Kindergarten." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23(1) (2008): 124–139.

Reporting on one of the more recent studies on transitions, this article examines the association between pre-K teachers' use of transition practices and kindergarten teachers' judgments of students' skills. On average, preschool teachers used six transition practices. Furthermore, the number of transition activities used by preschool teachers was positively associated with kindergarten teachers' perceptions of children's skills, particularly their social competencies. This study represents one of the few empirical accounts of the outcomes linked with transition practices and calls for the need for more practicality as policies develop and funding is made available for transition initiatives in states.

 

Mashburn, A. J.; J. LoCasale-Crouch, and K. C. Pears. Kindergarten Transition and Readiness: Promoting Cognitive, Social-Emotional, and Self-Regulatory Development. New York, NY: Springer Science Business Media, 2018.

Review a comprehensive collection of current research on the transition to kindergarten, including for special populations. Find evidence-based and specifically target strategies for improving transition practices.

 

McIntyre, L. L.; T. L. Eckert,  B. H. Fiese, F. D. DiGennaro,  and L. K Wildenger. "Transition to Kindergarten: Family Experiences and Involvement." Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(1), (2007): 83–88.

This study investigates family experiences and involvement in the kindergarten transition. Results suggest the majority of families wanted more involvement in transition planning and information about kindergarten readiness. The top concerns expressed by families were attending a new school, difficulties following directions, and other behavioral problems. Families with fewer financial resources reported less involvement in transition activities than families with more resources. Implications for early childhood education are discussed in light of the growing emphasis on parent involvement and kindergarten readiness.

 

Pianta, R.C.; M. J. Cox,  K. L. Snow.  School Readiness and the Transition to Kindergarten in the Era of Accountability. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc., 2007.

Read the follow-up to Pianta and Cox's groundbreaking, "The Transition to Kindergarten." Find out what has happened in early childhood education in the past seven years. The book clarifies influential changes in demographics, policies, and practices, and describes promising early education programs and policies. More than 30 experts provide the latest information on the most important topics surrounding early childhood education and the kindergarten transition. Learn to develop programs that answer the demands of the high-pressure era of accountability and start the youngest students on the road to school success.

Administrators, program directors, and researchers will learn to:

• Make the most of learning opportunities in early childhood classrooms
• Build stronger connections between early childhood and elementary education programs
• Work to close racial and ethnic gaps in school readiness
• Understand health, emotional regulation, neurological development, and other factors that affect school readiness and academic success
• Address the challenges faced by English language learners

 

Pianta, R. C.; M. J. Cox , L. Taylor,  and D. M. Early. "Kindergarten Teachers' Practices Related to the Transition Into School: Results of a National Survey." Elementary School Journal, 100 (1999): 71–86.

Using data from the Transition Practices Survey by National Center for Early Development, this study describes a national sample of kindergarten teachers' reported use of 21 transition practices and their perceived barriers to implementing these practices. It found that the use of transition practices is a nearly universal endeavor in American schools. However, the most commonly used practices happen after the start of school, and practices that involve direct contact between families and children and schools are used the least frequently. Common barriers to implementation include receiving the class list too late and lacking a district-wide transition plan. Given its national sample and descriptive statistics on transition use, this is one of the most cited pieces on transitions.

 

Pianta, R. C.; M. E. Kraft-Sayre. "Parents' Observations About Their Children's Transitions to Kindergarten." Young Children, 54(3) (1999): 47–52.

Learn more about the transition to kindergarten experience through parent interviews about their children's transition to and first weeks at school. Key findings are that about two-thirds of children are perceived as having a successful transition, but up to 35% of parents report concerns about the transition. Strategies for easing the transition are discussed.

 

Pianta, R. C.; M. Kraft-Sayre, S. Rimm-Kaufman, N. Gercke, and T. Higgins. "Collaboration in Building Partnerships Between Families and Schools: The National Center for Early Development and Learning's Kindergarten Transition Intervention." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 16(1) (2001): 117–132.

This paper describes results of collaboration among university researchers, preschool teachers and staff, elementary school staff, and parents. They were tasked to design, implement, and conduct research on interventions for improving transitions to kindergarten. This collaborative effort was characterized by three themes:

• Participants in the transition process differ in their views of transition practices
• Parents and teachers in the preschool year share mutually positive views of one another in relation to a range of activities and roles
• Preschool staff increasingly are seen as an important and helpful source of support for parents

 

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E.; R. C. Pianta. "Patterns of Family-School Contact in Preschool and Kindergarten." School Psychology Review, 28(3) (1999):  426–438.

Review the characteristics of teacher-family contact in preschool and kindergarten. This article examines changes in contact longitudinally as children make the transition from preschool to kindergarten. It also evaluates these patterns of teacher-family contact in light of the changing school environments children and families experience during the transition. Teacher-family contact differed among various preschool and kindergarten programs, reflecting various program philosophies and priorities. Characteristics of family involvement differed according to program priorities, which shows the influence schools have in encouraging specific rates and types of teacher–family contacts. This contact occurred more frequently, directly, and informally and contained less negative content in preschool than in kindergarten.

 

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E.; R. C. Pianta, M. J. Cox. "Teachers' Judgments of Problems in the Transition to Kindergarten." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15(2) (2000): 147–166.

This article describes teachers' accounts of the types and prevalence of problems students have upon their entry into kindergarten. Teachers reported that 52% of children enter kindergarten successfully, while 48% of incoming kindergartners experience either a moderately successful transition marked by some problems or a difficult transition characterized by serious concerns. The type of transition problem with the highest prevalence was difficulty following directions (46%). The findings highlight a mismatch between teachers' expectations and children's skills and between preschool practices and kindergarten standards. The article calls for alignment and coordination among children's contexts (e.g., home, preschool, and kindergarten).

 

Schulting, A. B.; P. S. Malone,  K. A. Dodge. "The Effect of School-Based Kindergarten Transition Policies and Practices on Child academic Outcomes." Developmental Psychology, 41(6) (2005): 860–871.

This study examines the effects of transition practices on student outcomes at the end of the kindergarten year. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten (ECLS–K) sample, it found that kindergarten transition practices had a modest positive effect on academic achievement during the kindergarten year and were associated with an increase in parent-initiated involvement. The link between transition practices and academic outcomes was stronger for students from average- or low-income families than from high-income families. However, these lower-income students are often exposed to the least amount of transition practices. As it provides empirical support for the use of transition practices, the findings support their continued use across settings.

 

Seefeldt, C.; K. Denton, and A. Galper, T. Younoszai. "The Relation Between Head Start Parents' Participation in a Transition Demonstration, Education, Efficacy and Their Children's Academic Abilities." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14(1) (1999): 99–109.

Explore the relationship between membership in a transition demonstration project, levels of parent education and self-efficacy, and children's academic abilities through structural equation modeling. Results show that both membership in the transition demonstration and level of parent education were related to parental self-efficacy. In turn, parental self-efficacy beliefs significantly predicted children's academic abilities as measured by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – Revised (PPVT-R).

 

Sy, S. R.; S. J. Rowley, and J. E. Schulenberg. "Predictors of Parent Involvement Across Contexts in Asian- American and European-American families." Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 38(1) (2007):  1–29.

Despite the abundance of literature on the relationship between parent involvement and children's school achievement, there is relatively little research focusing on the predictors of and the interrelationship among multiple types of parent involvement. The paper examines this issue in Asian-American and European-American families. Findings suggest that parents' beliefs about early education, stemming from their larger cultural values, influence the ways in which they become involved in their children's early education. The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to increase parental involvement in children's education. To accomplish this goal, researchers and practitioners must consider the ways in which parents may become involved in their children's education, as well as the role of ethnicity in parent involvement.

 

Wesley, P. W.; V. Buysee. "Making Meaning of School Readiness in Schools and Communities." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 18(3) (2003): 351–375.

This study involved 20 focus groups, comprised of 93 professionals and 25 parents, tasked with exploring perceptions of readiness. Thematic analysis of transcripts revealed that participants experience several tensions related to their views of readiness, including:

• The conflict between personal philosophies of teaching and learning and the expectations set forth by the state
• The pressure placed upon children, teachers, and families for children to perform
• The inconsistency of defining kindergarten eligibility by both chronological age and a set of required entry skills

The study recommends action to promote strategies that foster school readiness, not just outcomes that define it. They also encourage increasing professional accountability and promoting social and emotional development as a critical foundation of school readiness.

 

Wildenger, L. K.; L. L. McIntyre, B. H. Feise, and T. L. Eckert. "Children's Daily Routines During Kindergarten Transition." Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1) (2008): 69–74.

Significant changes in child and family routines have been implicated in adjustment difficulties during kindergarten transition. Results of this investigation are discussed in terms of aligning families' daily routines with kindergarten expectations. Furthermore, education staff in early childhood education and elementary school can partner with families to promote kindergarten transitions for children.

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Last Updated: September 26, 2023