ERIC Number: EJ1231190
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-9289
EISSN: N/A
Coordination between Head Start and Elementary Schools to Enhance Children's Kindergarten Success
Cook, Kyle DeMeo; Coley, Rebekah Levine
Early Education and Development, v30 n8 p1063-1083 2019
Research Findings: This study examines efforts by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools and seeks to better understand how coordination practices may support children's transition to and success in kindergarten. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of Head Start children (N = 2,019) followed through kindergarten. Findings suggest that Head Start programs are engaging in a variety of activities to coordinate with elementary schools around the transition to kindergarten. Results of lagged OLS regression analyzes found that coordination efforts were significantly related to children's language and mathematics skills in kindergarten for children attending elementary schools engaging in limited school transition practices to support school entry, suggesting that coordination practices initiated by preschools may play a compensatory role for children. In addition, results suggest that direct meetings between Head Start and kindergarten teachers are predictive of higher language skills in kindergarten. Policy or Practice: Efforts by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools may be particularly important for children's academic skills when their elementary schools are less engaged in transition practices. In addition, meeting in person and having a key person responsible for the kindergarten transition may be key ingredients to coordination that yields better outcomes for children.
Descriptors: Early Intervention, Preschool Education, Elementary Education, Kindergarten, Success, Partnerships in Education, Institutional Cooperation, Transitional Programs, Student Adjustment, School Readiness, Language Skills, Mathematics Skills, Teacher Collaboration, Preschool Teachers, Children, Longitudinal Studies, Surveys, Intelligence Tests, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Interpersonal Competence, Student Characteristics, Family Characteristics, Teacher Characteristics, Gender Differences, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Parent Background, Educational Attainment, Socioeconomic Status, Mental Health, Employment Level, Teacher Qualifications
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Administration for Children and Families (DHHS), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Social Skills Rating System
Grant or Contract Numbers: 90YR0100