Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. How to Use this Toolkit
- 3. Definitions & Abbreviations
- 4. The State of Children, Families, & Educators in the Second Year of COVID: Challenges & Solutions
- 5. Guiding Framework: How Policy Can Help Meet the Needs of Young Learners
- 6. Six Steps for Educators and Systems Leaders to Strengthen Transitions
- 7. Nine Takeaways from Our Work with States, School Districts, & Communities
- 8. State & Local Policy Ideas with Examples
- 9. Federal COVID Relief Dollars and How They Can Help Fund This Work
- 10. Other Funding Streams that can be Used for Early Learning and Transitions
- Appendix A: Resources by Topic
- Appendix B: Focus Group Questions
- Appendix C: Self-Assessment Tool
- Appendix D: Work Plan
Appendix A: Resources by Topic
Early Learning and Development
- Principles of Ideal Learning Environments, Trust for Learning
- Principles of Child Development and Learning and Implications that Inform Practice, NAEYC
- Return to Learn: Launching Instruction for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, Oklahoma State Department of Education
- What it Looks Like to Promote Young Children’s Growth and Discovery, New America
Attendance
- Leveraging Chronic Absence, Attendance Works
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- ESSA Coordination Toolkit, Chief State School Officers/ National Head Start Association
- “ESSA Student Transition Resources—PreK to Kindergarten,” Connecticut State Department of Education and Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- “Using Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Funds for Early Childhood,” Foresight Law+Policy, Center for the Study of Education Policy, EducationCounsel, Erikson Institute, and Start Early
ESSER Spending
- National, Regional Trends in Educators’ COVID-Relief Spending, FutureEd
- Flexible Funding for Children and Youth in the American Rescue Plan, Children’s Funding Project
Family Engagement
- Colorado Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework, Marzano Research
- Family-School-Community Partnerships, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
- Top Five Insights for Improving Family-School Collaboration during COVID and Beyond, Brookings
- Uncovering New Opportunities for Family Engagement during COVID-19, Phi Delta Kappan
Head Start
- “Transition to Kindergarten,” Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center. See also:
Transitions Frameworks, Road Maps, and Toolkits from the States
- Supporting the Transition to Kindergarten in Nevada
- Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide
- Alabama Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit
- Transitions to Kindergarten in Colorado: A Roadmap
- Maine's Transitioning into Kindergarten—Professional Development Modules
- Mississippi Transition Toolkit for Families and Early Learning Providers
- South Carolina Pre-K to Kindergarten Transitions Plan: Family Engagement
- Kansas Kindergarten Transitions Toolkit
State Early Learning and Transition Policy and Strategies
- “50-State Comparison: State K–3 Policies,” Education Commission of the States
- “State Policies to Enhance Transitions into Kindergarten,” Education Commission of the States
- “Transitions and Alignment from Preschool to Kindergarten,” Education Commission of the States
- “Connecting the Steps: State Strategies to Ease the Transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten,” New America