Facilitating the Transition to Kindergarten: What ECLS-K Data Tell Us about School Practices Then and Now

Abstract

Leveraging data from two nationally representative cohorts from the ECLS-K (Early Childhood Longitudinal Study– Kindergarten), we examine the types of transition practices that schools use to ease children’s adjustment to formal schooling. The transition to kindergarten is a critical juncture in a child’s life that entails a host of social, behavioral, and academic changes. We find a modest increase between the two cohorts in the number of transition practices that schools offer children and their families, although we also find that fewer of these practices are offered in traditionally underserved schools. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings and suggest areas for future research.