State Policies to Enhance Transitions into Kindergarten. Policy Guide

The start of kindergarten signifies the beginning of elementary school and everything that may come with it: a new building, new teachers, new expectations, and a different routine and culture. These new students transition into kindergarten from different settings, bringing with them a variety of assets and experiences. From a holistic perspective, this transition necessitates a focus on the social, emotional and health needs of children and families; the culture in a community and in individual schools; and the resources available to support individual children, family members, teachers and school leaders. It requires relationships, collaboration and partnerships across the community, as well as time and energy from school leaders well before children enter their building. State policymakers, from state departments of education and health and human services agencies, governors' offices and state boards of education, all have a role to play in setting policy goals to enable successful transitions for young children. Acknowledging the complex nature of this transition will enable state and district leaders to identify the necessary pieces to build comprehensive systems of support. Understanding the components of a comprehensive and effective transition system can help state leaders steadily make improvements and monitor these changes over time. States have made some progress on this issue, yet knowing exactly where to begin or how to improve existing systems can be difficult. This Policy Brief highlights the variety of student experiences prior to kindergarten; focuses on the importance of early education and health; and provides a comprehensive set of state policy strategies, examples and considerations that enable the conditions for successful transitions.