Introduction

Our youngest learners and their families and educators will feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for years to come. For many, especially among Black, Indigenous, and people of color and in low-income communities, the year has left long lasting damage. And for young children, the trauma, uncertainty, and loss they endured will last a lifetime. At the same time, many families are stronger and more connected and parents are engaged in their children’s learning in a way they have not been before.

As decision-makers look forward and plan for the next several school years, supportive and effective transitions from early childhood programs into kindergarten and the early grades will be crucial to begin to address these issues. States, school districts, center-based and family child care programs, Head Start programs, and the communities in which they are located must plan together and thoughtfully connect children’s and families’ experiences across these years. Families and educators will need more support as they work to meet young children’s needs and help them thrive.

Policy is needed at the state and local level to strengthen systems that prioritize this kind of work. Without leadership, vision, supportive policy, and careful planning, transition work is not the direct responsibility of any one official in school districts or at state departments of education, human services, or equivalent agencies. Despite its importance, this means transition is often overlooked or neglected and too often left to discrete activities leading up to the start of a new school year.

In order to ensure a seamless transition for children, families, and educators, state and local officials must cooperate to establish permanent effective and supportive transition policies and practices that recognize this as a year-long process that includes collaboration across early childhood settings and elementary schools. They must also align what children and families experience and how they experience it, as well as continuous improvement efforts. Covid-19 provides an opportunity to reimagine and recommit to transitions between early childhood and K-12 systems. It is up to states and local communities to make those changes for the long-term.