Kindergarten Teachers' Reported Use of Kindergarten to First Grade Transition Practices

Abstract

Using a national sample of 3,595 public school kindergarten teachers and an additional 176 kindergarten teachers in private schools, information was obtained about teachers' practices related to the transition of children into first grade. Over half of public and private school teachers reported using some form of first-grade transition practice. More teachers in private schools reported using first-grade transition practices than teachers in public schools. The most frequently reported first-grade transition practice was meeting with first-grade teachers to discuss curriculum. More teachers reported using transition practices that focused on teacher or child activities rather than transition practices that involved parents. Findings were similar across metropolitan status of the school, district levels of poverty, and minority representation in the schools. As district poverty and minority representation increased in the public school sample, fewer teachers reported using transition practices. Findings are discussed in terms of an ecological perspective on children's school transitions.