Setting the Stage for the Future: Family Engagement Throughout the Transition to Kindergarten

Introduction

Across the lifespan, individuals with disabilities and their families will experience a variety of transitions between environments or programs. A successful transition, one where the student is able to experience developmental, academic, and social success in the next environment, is often associated with intentional use of recommended and high-leverage practices before, during, and after the transition (Division for Early Childhood, 2014; McLeskey et al., 2017; Rous, Hallam, et al., 2007). Essential to the successful transition process is practitioner-family collaboration. For young students with disabilities, a successful transition requires sharing of specific knowledge and information about the student’s strengths, needs, and interests; use of family-centered planning and practice; and transdisciplinary collaboration between practitioners (i.e., teachers, administrators, support staff, etc.) and families (Division of Early Childhood, 2014). Yet, there are currently no federal legal mandates describing what practices must or should occur to support students with disabilities and their families during the critical transition that occurs between preschool and kindergarten.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) mandates educational teams plan for transitions between early intervention and preschool at the age of three and again between high school and adulthood beginning at the age of 16. When these transitions are discussed and documented as part of the individualized education program (IEP), families of students with disabilities have the legal right to participate in these decision-making processes. However, IDEA does not currently mandate educational teams plan for the variety of transitions that could and do occur during the preschool-grade 12 school years, including the critical transition from preschool to kindergarten.

The transition that occurs between preschool (early childhood programs serving students 3-5 years of age) and kindergarten is an important one for all students. The successful transition to kindergarten has been identified as one predictor of later positive school outcomes (Schulting et al., 2005) and has been considered a matter of equity (Caspe et al., 2015). The Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), in addition to the expansion of public preschool funding nationally has drawn increased attention to the transition to kindergarten, as well as the alignment and continuity of practices used across preschool and elementary (kindergarten – grades 5/6) programs. Researchers have conducted investigations into what is provided to students and families during the transition process and what practices are used by teachers (Daley et al., 2011; La Paro et al., 2000; Little et al., 2016; LoCasale-Crouch et al., 2008; Pianta et al., 1999; Purtell et al., 2020; Welchons & McIntyre, 2015). In general education, common practices used by practitioners include (but are not limited to) kindergarten orientation/open house, flyers sent home, and sharing of student files. Yet, researchers have only just begun to examine to what extent use of recommended transition practices and alignment and continuity of practices may lead to positive academic and social outcomes for students in kindergarten and beyond (Cook & Coley, 2017; Schulting et al., 2005). There has been less investigation into support provided to young students with disabilities and their families during the transition to kindergarten process (Forest et al., 2004; Quintero & McIntyre, 2011; Rous, Myers, et al., 2007; Sands & Meadan, 2023) and how specific practices may impact student outcomes or future family participation or engagement in their child’s education. This is the case, even though students with disabilities and their families often experience more difficulties or concerns during this process when compared to the experiences of students without disabilities (Jiang et al., 2021; McIntyre et al., 2010).