Description:
This study describes the efforts undertaken by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools to support children's transition to kindergarten. Given research showing that a substantial proportion of children face challenges adjusting to kindergarten, and that a productive start in school is essential for future school success, this project seeks to understand how early childhood programs can best coordinate and support children's successful movement into kindergarten. The objectives of this study are to examine the relationship between coordination practices and child outcomes, and to investigate whether the relationship differs by child/family characteristics, and school-based transition practices. In addition, the study will gain a deeper understanding of the coordination efforts taking place in Head Start programs and the opportunities and barriers to coordinating across systems. This study will provide a nuanced view of the coordination between Head Start programs and elementary schools, going beyond prior research, which solely examined sharing of information across systems. With the goal of extending implications for policy and practice to the diverse early education system and elementary schools, this project employs a two-phase design, beginning with a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. Phase I includes secondary data analysis of the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Study (FACES) dataset, and Phase II includes collection of semi-structured interview data from Head Start Directors and staff.
Resource Type:
Administration for Children and Families/OPRE Projects
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