Kindergarten readiness: associations with a summer transition program and teacher/school level factors

ABSTRACT

Transition to kindergarten is an important developmental milestone for children and families. This study explored factors associated with kindergarten readiness focusing on the impact of a summer kindergarten transition program. A mixed-method design was employed, and the qualitative data from interviews with 16 randomly selected kindergarten teachers and the quantitative data of assessment scores of 320 kindergarteners were analyzed. Compared with children who were eligible but did not participate in the transition program, those who participated in the program had significantly more family engagement and stronger home-school relations. Smaller class sizes were associated with children’s higher readiness scores in both academic achievement and social-emotional development. Larger school enrollment was associated with children’s higher readiness scores in academic achievement, more family engagement, and stronger home-school relations. Higher school poverty was associated with children’s lower readiness scores in social-emotional development. The findings can be used to inform program development and policymaking.

KEYWORDS:

• Kindergarten readiness
• transition program
• mixed methods
• academic achievement
• social emotional development

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support and input from the South Carolina Department of Social Services, South Carolina First Steps partnerships, Propulsion Squared, members of the South Carolina Preschool Development Grant Collaborative, and the teachers and parents/caregivers who participated in Countdown to Kindergarten and this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Preschool Development Grant from the Administration for Children and Families/US Department of Health and Human Services [grant number: 90TP0080-02-00] administered by the South Carolina Department of Social Services and South Carolina First Steps.

Notes on contributors

Xumei Fan

Xumei Fan, PhD, is a quantitative methodologist and program evaluator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research interests include educational research, assessment, and evaluation; mixed-methods study; survey design, early childhood education, and teacher education.

Leigh Kale D’Amico

Leigh Kale D’Amico, EdD, is a research associate professor in the Research, Evaluation, and Measurement Center at the University of South Carolina. She also teaches and serves as a dissertation chair for students in the EdD in Educational Practice and Innovations: Curriculum Studies track at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on early childhood education, curriculum and instruction, teacher preparation, professional development, and student success.

Janice Kilburn

Janice Kilburn, PhD, is the School Transition Coordinator at South Carolina First Steps. With a master’s degree in school psychology and PhD in developmental psychology, her applied work focuses on issues in education and child development. Previous professional roles were school administrator, director, visiting professor, education consultant, and school psychologist.

Alexis Jones

Alexis Jones, MS, is an Evaluation Coordinator with South Carolina First Steps. During her time at First Steps, Lexi has overseen the implementation of a feedback initiative called “Your Voice Matters,” which works to engage community members throughout the evaluation process. She also supports the evaluation of the agency’s First Steps 4K program which provides state-funded, free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten in non-public school settings to Medicaid-eligible children statewide.

Chelsea Richard

Chelsea Richard, PhD, MSPH is an applied epidemiologist at the intersection of early childhood education and public health. As Director of Research and Strategy at South Carolina First Steps and the Early Childhood Advisory Council, she has demonstrated extensive experience in research and evaluation, data infrastructure and capacity building, and strategic planning and performance measurement, including establishment of the Research and Strategy team. She is also an Affiliate Faculty Member at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Chelsea holds a PhD and an MSPH in Epidemiology from the University of South Carolina and a national Certified Public Manager credential from the State of South Carolina.

Sommer Garrett

Sommer Garrett, MS, LPC, is a research assistant in the Research, Evaluation, and Measurement Center at the University of South Carolina. She is also a doctoral candidate in the Counselor Education and Supervision Program. She maintains a professional counseling license in South Dakota. Her research focuses on program evaluation, cultural immersion, and trauma education. She also has experience providing counseling services and training internationally.

Logan Leverage

Logan Leverage received an Education Specialist degree in Counselor Education from the University of South Carolina. She is currently employed as a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate providing mental health care and advocacy to children and their families.