Transition Practices of Rural Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers and Their Relations to Children's Academic and Social Skills

Research Findings: The present study examined the transition practices reported by 59 pre-kindergarten (pre-k) and 186 kindergarten teachers in the rural Southeastern United States, and asked if transition practices related to skills at the beginning and end of kindergarten for 387 children. Analyses indicated kindergarten teachers offered more transition practices than pre-k teachers, and the transition practices children received varied depending on the students served. Pre-k settings with more students from families with low incomes were more likely to hold individual meetings with parents but less likely to offer classroom visits and orientations. Kindergarten teachers in schools with higher proportions of ethnically and racially minoritized students were more likely to engage in classroom visits and sharing individual child data. Although overall we found little to no association with child outcomes, data sharing on individual children was associated with higher literacy skills at entry to kindergarten. Practice or Policy: This study raises several future directions for policy and practice related to school transitions. Although most transition practices are designed to help children feel better about moving into kindergarten, it appears that some practices, such as data sharing, may also improve school readiness skills, making them a promising focus for future policy investments.