Child Trends is partnering with NORC at the University of Chicago and the National P-3 Center on a research project to better understand children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools; specifically, this project aims to identify ways to improve this transition. With funding from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the three-year project will examine practices that Head Start programs and elementary schools are currently implementing to support children’s successful transitions, and identify organizational policies and supports that both Head Start and public educational agencies should put in place to make these transitions more effective. The project will also assess the outcomes of these transition practices for children, families, teachers, and Head Start and K-12 programs.

Resources

Understanding Cross-Systems Transitions from Head Start to Kindergarten: A Review of the Knowledge Base and a Theory of Change