Download or read book Teachers Perceptions of how California s Transitional Kindergarten Program Under Senate Bill 1381 Prepares Students for Improved Learning Outcomes in Kindergarten written by Michelle Facaros Parra and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study aimed to explore teachers' perceptions about the extent to which the new TK program contributes to students' social, emotional, and cognitive development to ultimately yield better learning outcomes for students once they enter kindergarten. Further, this qualitative study aimed to give a voice to TK and kindergarten teachers who are at the heart of the TK program implementation. It explores not only how the implementation of the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 affects teachers professionally but also how it affects the learning outcomes of students under their tutelage.

Download or read book Transitional Kindergarten Implementation written by Masami Nancy Herota and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This qualitative research study examined the implementation transitional kindergarten programs mandated by the passage of Senate Bill 1381 (SB 1381), the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010. The law gradually changes the age of entry into kindergarten from December 2 to September 1 so that by the 2014-15 school year children who are five years old on or before September 1 are eligible for kindergarten. The law also requires school districts to offer a transitional kindergarten program for children who were previously eligible for kindergarten. The policy for school districts to develop transitional kindergarten, the first year of a 2-year kindergarten program, provided flexibility and limited guidance for school districts to design a program to meet local needs. The purpose of this study was to examine how school districts approached the implementation of curriculum and instructional strategies for transitional kindergarten. Through a case study of two school districts in California, this study examined how administrators and teachers planned, interpreted, and implemented policy into practice. The study focused on the interpretation of policy to inform practice. The primary data for this study were gathered through interviews with teachers, principals, and district administrators regarding their interpretation and conceptualization of policy to implement transitional kindergarten. Other data collection methods included classroom observations and a review of documents developed for transitional kindergarten. Through an in-depth analysis of the data, three themes emerged. The first theme, "Understanding Policy," revealed how teachers and administrators made meaning of new policy through a collaborative process. The findings examined how a lack of clarity in the initial phase of planning, combined with the flexibility that teachers were given to implement new approaches, evolved into a shared understanding of the term developmentally appropriate practice. The second theme, "Implementing Policy into Practice," described how teachers were operationalizing policy to classroom practice. Teachers and administrators described new approaches in the areas of curriculum, instruction, classroom environments, flexible use of time, and assessment for transitional kindergarten. The third theme, "Policy Implementation - Refinement and Impact," summarized practitioners' reflections regarding areas of refinement to continue to enhance transitional kindergarten programs. Areas of refinement included horizontal and vertical articulation opportunities, professional development, and communication with parents and the community. Teachers and administrators also shared their perspectives regarding the impact of transitional kindergarten. Based on these findings, implications for practice and recommendations for future research are presented.

Download or read book Teachers Perceptions of Transitional Kindergarten as a Policy Initiative written by Laura L. Fong and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative research study was to address the lack of research about transitional kindergarten (TK) teachers’ perceptions regarding transitional kindergarten as a policy initiative. Transitional kindergarten as a policy initiative is largely understudied; therefore this study is aimed at filling the gap in the research. This interpretive qualitative research study will help inform researchers who focus on education policy, as well as policymakers at the state and local levels that work to author educational policy and support new educational policy initiatives. Prior to 2012, in order for children to start kindergarten in California, they could be as young as four-years-and-nine-months old; California’s cutoff date was December 2 of the year in which the child would turn five. The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 now requires that children turn five by September 1 of the school year in order to start kindergarten. Senator Joe Simitian wrote this bill, at the suggestion of two California teachers. These teachers made their case to Simitian that the younger kindergarten students were struggling with today’s kindergarten and that this struggle continues “year after year” for these young students (Simitian, 2010). Five overarching themes emerged within this study with regard to TK: (a) lack of implementation, communication, and understanding of the purpose of TK; (b) inconsistencies among TK classes; (c) lack of standards, curriculum, instructional materials, training, and resources; (d) lack of developmentally appropriate practices; and, (e) a contrast between rhetoric and reality.

Download or read book Impact of California s Transitional Kindergarten Program 2013 14 written by Karen Manship and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 53 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Transitional kindergarten--the first year of a two-year kindergarten program for California children born between September 2 and December 2--is intended to better prepare young five-year-olds for kindergarten and ensure a strong start to their educational career. The goal of this study was to measure the success of the program by determining the impact of transitional kindergarten on students' readiness for kindergarten in several areas. AIR researchers compared language, literacy, mathematics, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills at kindergarten entry for students who attended transitional kindergarten and for those who did not. Key findings include: (1) Transitional kindergarten improves preliteracy and literacy skills; (2) Transitional kindergarten improves students' mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills; and (3) Transitional kindergarten supports children's behavioral self-regulation, but there is no detectable impact on social-emotional skills. This unique approach to early education in California--which serves children in a narrow age range on elementary school campuses, with credentialed teachers holding bachelor's degrees and a curriculum aligned with kindergarten--appears to better prepare students for kindergarten than what they might have received in the absence of the program. Future analyses will investigate the extent to which the transitional kindergarten advantage is sustained through the end of kindergarten, for which groups of students transitional kindergarten is most beneficial, and which transitional kindergarten program characteristics are most supportive of student learning. Detailed Methodology is appended. [For the Executive Summary of this report, see ED563820.].

Download or read book Parent Perceptions of Transitional Kindergarten as a Policy Initiative written by Janet Núñez-Pineda and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 95 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative interpretative research was to explore parents’ perception of transitional kindergarten as a policy initiative. The passage of the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 (SB 1381) created a new provision related to children’s age in California prior to beginning Kindergarten. Transitional kindergarten gained attention from various areas within educational leadership including policy makers, researchers and practitioners. This study emerged as part of a pre-dissertation fellowship opportunity funded by the David and Lucille Packard foundation and was conducted in partnership with three other doctoral capstone projects and provide a 360-degree view of transitional kindergarten as a policy initiative within policy makers, school administrators, teachers and parents. This research is specifically focused on the parents’ perceptions. The research is guided by a qualitative interpretative framework coupled with critical policy analysis. All participants are of Hispanic or Latina backgrounds which represent the majority demographic population of the identified school district. Participants in this study had children who attended transitional kindergarten within one school district in California's Central Valley. A “funds of knowledge” framework explored how traditional values and knowledge were overlooked causing parents to feel frustrated and marginalized. The purpose of this study aims to fill a gap in the literature with regard to practitioners in the field such as teachers, school administrators, and policy makers.

Download or read book Strategies to Support Social and Emotional Growth in Transitional Kindergarten written by Joanna O'Brien and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This mixed-methods study examined strategies used by Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teachers to support the social and emotional growth of their students in the Central Valley of California. Transitional Kindergarten is a new grade level in California first implemented in the 2012-2013 school year. It was established as a result of Senate Bill 1381 which amended the California Educational Code to gradually move back the required birth date for admittance into kindergarten from December 2 to September 2. Those whose fifth birthday falls between September 2 and December 2 are eligible to enroll in TK. The study consisted of three separate but parallel stages. Initially a survey was sent to nearly 70 TK teachers in the county database. Concurrently, 10 TK teachers from two school districts were interviewed to gain more information about their perceptions of critical areas of social and emotional development along with the strategies they use to support its growth. Finally, five receiving Kindergarten teachers were interviewed from one of the two districts to determine their perceptions of their incoming TK students. A review of the literature indicates Kindergarten teachers perceive that social and emotional competence is considered critical for school readiness and is an indicator of future academic success. Findings indicate Transitional Kindergarten teachers perceived the most critical areas of social and emotional development needed for school success were the students' ability to communicate needs and wants, to follow routines and directions, and to play cooperatively. The way in which teachers supported the development of these areas was to provide an enriching environment for all their students, provide in-the-moment interventions, utilize social skills curriculum, and role-model expected behaviors. Additional accommodations for ELLs and students from low SES included a focus on vocabulary development and use of tangible and visual materials. Additional findings from TK interviews indicate the foundational role of language development in early childhood education. Teacher comments suggested that English language learners and students from poverty especially benefited from the language-rich environment provided by TK. The results of these findings may inform policy makers as to the future of quality early education for all four-year-old students. Keywords: Transitional Kindergarten, social and emotional development, early childhood education, early language development, English Language Learners

Download or read book The Impact of Transitional Kindergarten on Kindergarten Readiness A Report from the Study of California s Transitional Kindergarten Program written by American Institutes for Research and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Transitional kindergarten--the first year of a two-year kindergarten program for California children born between September 2 and December 2--is intended to better prepare young five-year-olds for Kindergarten and ensure a strong start to their educational career. The goal of this study was to measure the success of the program by determining the impact of transitional kindergarten on students' readiness for kindergarten in several areas. AIR researchers compared language, literacy, mathematics, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills at kindergarten entry for students who attended transitional kindergarten and for those who did not. This brief outlines the results of the study, "Impact of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program, 2013-14," and suggests next steps for further research. [For the full study "Impact of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program, 2013-14," see ED563818.].

Download or read book Supporting Social emotional Skills Development in Transitional Kindergarten written by Cynthia Castillo (Graduate student) and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Transitional kindergarten (TK) was established in California in 2010 to provide young students opportunities to develop social-emotional competencies, prepare students to become well-equipped to fulfill the demands of the classroom, and prepare them for later in life. However, due to the push down of academics into younger grades and limited research conducted on the practices in TK, social-emotional skills development has been overshadowed. This study aims to contribute to the emerging area of research regarding TK teachers’ experiences and perceptions in supporting the social-emotional development of young children. Using the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning for Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework and a general qualitative method design, this study addresses the following two research questions: (1) What are teachers’ perceptions of the role of TK in meeting the social-emotional needs of young children? (2) What are teachers’ perceptions regarding the focus and implementation of TK? The study revealed three key themes. First, TK was an essential “gift of time” for students to develop social-emotional skills. Second, the reality of the grade level was mismatched with what was valued in the standards-based report cards and TK curriculum. Lastly, the TK program implementation was inconsistent district-wide and varied significantly by teachers’ expertise and ideology as well as expectations of the school community. Three recommendations for future practice are to design a report card specifically for TK, adopt a district-wide social-emotional curriculum, and for TK teachers to follow their TK students into kindergarten.

Download or read book Transitional Kindergarten in California written by Michele Cadigan and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When transitional kindergarten (TK) in California began in the 2012-13 school year, there were many questions about this new grade--available typically to only those children born during the month of November. Parents wondered: What is TK? Who is eligible? Does my district offer TK? Is TK right for my child? With the delayed final approval of TK at the state level, stakeholders across the state wondered how districts would recruit families and roll out a new program in such a short time frame. Who would show up on the first day of school? And what would they find when they arrived? American Institutes for Research explored these TK issues as part of an in-depth investigation of the program's first year of implementation, with subsequent follow-up with a subset of districts in the second year. This implementation study is the first phase of the statewide Study of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program. The second phase, now underway, examines the quality and impacts of TK. This third research brief in a series investigating TK implementation in Year 1 focuses on district outreach efforts, parent perceptions of TK, and TK student demographics. The following questions are addressed: (1) How did districts approach parent outreach: (2) How did parents decide whether to enroll their children in TK; (3) Who actually enrolled in TK; and (4) What did parents think of their children's TK experiences? Findings from this study point to the challenges districts faced in recruiting children for TK during the first year of TK implementation. District administrators also described other parents who were not aware of the TK program or who were concerned that TK was a remedial program and did not want to send their children to a program they did not understand. Despite these challenges, there were no particular demographic groups of students disproportionately left out of TK.

Download or read book Keeping Up with the Kinders Supporting the Developmental Needs of Young Children to Prepare Them for the Primary Grades written by Diane Dolores Lucero and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and identify the experiences and challenges of how five Transitional Kindergarten teachers in an urban public school district, support the critical domains of development in young children with unique needs, specifically English Learners and children with disabilities. The study looked at five Transitional Kindergarten teachers' perceptions, practices, and the accessible support system they receive to provide an equitable and high-quality learning environment that promotes school readiness, and how these interactions impact the transition. The data collection consisted of individual interviews, documents and artifacts provided by the participants. The data was transcribed and analyzed and coded using an inductive and deductive and thematic coding approach. The major findings revealed that there is a significant need of additional support in the classroom whereas traditional early childhood programs have a teacher to student requirement when working with young children. The findings also revealed that not all teachers are prepared to work with children with special needs and rely heavily on the special education teacher for guidance to work with this population. Other findings reveal the Transitional Kindergarten must use a modified version of the Kindergarten curriculum designed for older children.

Download or read book Targeting the Transition to Kindergarten written by Sean E. Brotherson and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the world of early childhood care and education, the preparation of children to enter school successfully and perform well in their learning environments has become a subject of significant interest and concern (McLanahan, 2005). The term "school readiness" is generally used to describe the process of ensuring that children are prepared by parents and society for a successful school experience. Clearly defined, school readiness embraces the combination of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that a child should learn and be able to do as they enter the school environment. Areas of a child's growth and well-being that receive attention in school readiness include physical abilities and motor development; social and emotional development; motivation and desire for learning; cognitive development and early academic skills; creativity and imagination; and language and literacy development (Minnesota Department of Education, 2007). While a variety of early education programs exist ranging from Head Start to other models, the authors are interested in the outcomes associated with a family-centered intervention that brings parents and pre-kindergarten children together to advance school readiness and parent education. This program is entitled the Gearing Up for Kindergarten program and to date only a single study has examined its influence on parent outcomes. The purpose of this study was to gather information on basic demographics of program participants, parent perceptions of the general value and impacts of the program related to child school readiness, and teacher perceptions of the impacts of the program related to child school readiness. The essential question for study was how program participants in Gearing Up for Kindergarten compare to children in a non-experimental group on selected school readiness outcomes as assessed by both parents and teachers. Results indicate that the Gearing up for Kindergarten program appears to be effective at increasing the academic skills of children, making them better prepared to start kindergarten. The program is also related to increases in the amount of reading parents do with their children, which undoubtedly plays a role in the increased academic readiness seen in their children. Figures are appended.

Download or read book Teacher Perspectives on Professional Development Opportunities in Transitional Kindergarten Programs written by Melissa Ortiz and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Continuity for Young Children written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recognizing that children who experience continuity as they enter formal education are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than children who do not experience continuity, this document provides guidelines for preschool, Head Start, and elementary teachers and administrators on transition procedures. An executive summary begins the document. Part 1, "The Importance of Successful Transitions," lists questions that new kindergartners and their parents, Head Start or preschool teachers, and kindergarten teachers might have about transition; defines transition; examines the role of transition in current educational programs; and discusses the benefits of positive transitions for children, parents, and teachers. Part 2, "Planning Successful Transition Programs and Activities," discusses the components of successful transition programs, examines potential barriers, and considers the effects of positive transitions on early literacy. Part 3, "Examples of Successful Transition Activities and Planned Programs," lists child, parent, teacher, and community activities that support positive transitions and describes 22 California transition programs. Part 4, "Research and Resources," provides an annotated bibliography of 45 research reports and publications. Two appendices list books for preschoolers about starting school and provide suggestions for parents whose children are entering kindergarten. (KDFB)

Download or read book California English Language Development Standards written by Faye Ong and published by . This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Achieving High Educational Standards for All written by Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education and published by . This book was released on 2002-04-15 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Council, with help from the US Department of Education, held the Millennium Convention in Washington, DC in September 2000. It gathered educators, researchers, and policy makers at the national, state, and local levels to assess success and failure in educating minority and disadvantaged students since the Brown vs, Board of Education decision nearly a half century before, report on research into the causes of the successes and failures, and review strategies and practices that hold promise for continuing improvements. There is no index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Download or read book Rivers and harbors projects written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Public Works. Subcommittee on Rivers and Harbors and published by . This book was released on 1954 with total page 966 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Engaging Citizens in Policy Making written by Randma-Liiv, Tiina and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2022-02-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an open access title available under the terms of a [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com. Exploring academic and policy thinking on e-participation, this book opens up the organizational and institutional 'black box' and provides new insights into how public administrations in 15 European states have facilitated its implementation.