Three-week structured summer kindergarten transition program¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

A three-week structured kindergarten transition program offered by school districts during the summer before kindergarten. It was "designed to promote parental involvement in school, reduce students' chronic absenteeism, and increase children's readiness for kindergarten." The program included student sessions, parent information sessions, and opportunities for families to meet education staff and learn school routines before the school year began.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Runs during the summer before kindergarten for approximately three weeks
• Includes parent information sessions and student sessions
• Involves education staff who will work with families at the school

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• children entering kindergarten
• their families

Target Learning Goals¶

• kindergarten readiness
• parental involvement in school
• reduced chronic absenteeism

Claims¶

• Understanding kindergarten expectations and acquiring tools to support children at home were especially beneficial for families without prior preschool or structured school experience [+W]
• Families particularly valued meeting education staff early, familiarizing themselves with school layout and routines, and building social connections with other families [+W]

Related Elements¶

• Springboard Summer program model
• Pre-K to Kindergarten Transitions Project (PKTP): a teacher co-designed, community-wide transition approach with three core components

Examples¶

• Adjust transition programs based on family suggestions: longer student sessions, better district-family communication, work-friendly parent sessions, and staffing continuity into fall
• District leaders use a recommendations framework to plan and implement effective summer programming
• Offer scalable summer school as a post-pandemic academic recovery intervention for districts
• Design summer programs with purposeful curriculum, stable staff, and cultural relevance, sustained over multiple summers

Key Sources¶

• Merideth, C., Cavanaugh, B., Romas, S., Ralston, N., Arias, E., Tarasawa, B., & Waggoner, J. (2021). Family perceptions of participating in a structured summer kindergarten transition program. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/family-perceptions-of-participating-in-a-structured-summer-kindergarten-transition-program/