This pilot study used a quasiexperimental design to evaluate the Whole Inclusive School Empowerment (WISE) project providing educational psychology services to kindergartens to support students with diverse learning needs. There were eight intervention kindergartens that received WISE educational psychology services and eight control kindergartens…

This study examined the latent developmental patterns for classroom learning behaviors among children from underresourced families. Based on standardized teacher observations, a large sample (N = 2,152) of children was assessed for manifestations of Competence Motivation and Attentional Persistence twice annually through Head Start, kindergarten,…

Theory of mind describes the ability to engage in perspective-taking, understand intentions, and predict actions and emotions. Theory of mind typically achieves major developmental milestones around age of 5, coinciding with the transition to kindergarten, and is associated with a verbal ability (receptive and expressive vocabulary), executive…

Nearly one in four students residing in the United States is from an immigrant family and these children's school readiness is related to their parent's nativity and other sociodemographic characteristics. Social-emotional skills are an important conduit for academic development, yet these relations have not been explored for children from…

This study examined the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP) when used to rate the school readiness of children from different ethnic backgrounds (Latino or White, non-Latino), as well as from households where a different language was predominant (Spanish or English). Teachers rated the…

The Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA) was administered to all kindergarten students enrolled in two rural elementary schools in the fall of 2004. Eight months later, the reading portion of the Metropolitan Readiness Tests, 6th Edition (MRT-6) was administered. Teachers were asked to indicate whether they had concerns about each student's…

Surveyed 260 school districts about kindergarten screening tests. Found tremendous variability in responses: 34 different tests were used in screening; main purposes of screening were to identify handicapped and gifted students, group students in kindergarten classes, make school readiness placements, and plan and individualize instruction.…

Compared two groups of children who were equally unready for school at start of kindergarten: one group (N=40) was retained in kindergarten and the other group (N=40) was not retained. When compared after completion of first grade no differences were found on outcome measures of reading achievement, math achievement, social maturity, learner…

Survey conducted of public and private school districts (N=755) in New York ascertained procedures and instruments used to conduct kindergarten screening. The Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, and the Brigance K and 1 Screen were the most widely used instruments. The majority of respondents (95%) reported that screening is…

Examined usefulness of the Gesell Preschool Test (GPT), a developmental readiness test used by teachers and school psychologists to determine a child's readiness to begin formal instruction. Results revealed that, after accounting for effects of math and reading achievement, GPT failed to contribute to the discrimination of 30 retained and 58…

Reviews the literature to address questions that school psychologists and teachers have regarding emergent literacy in kindergarten. Defines emergent literacy; examines the importance of reading to children; and discusses print awareness/concepts of print, knowledge of letter names, phonemic awareness, formal reading instruction, early readers,…

This article describes a program which transformed a traditional kindergarten into a diagnostically oriented, developmentally planned experience that focussed on early assessment of children. In this model, the school psychologist serves as a program and teacher consultant. (Author/HMV)

The purpose of this research was to establish the concurrent and predictive validity of the Phelps Kindergarten Readiness Scale, Second Edition (PKRS-II; L. Phelps, 2003). Seventy-four kindergarten students of diverse ethnic backgrounds enrolled in a northeastern suburban school participated in the study. The concurrent administration of the…

The early childhood educational field has garnered attention with initiatives to foster skill acquisition in young children prior to kindergarten entry. These initiatives, in conjunction with the rigorous demands of curricular reform and a burgeoning accountability movement, invoke questions regarding the adequacy of the instruments used to assess…

This study assesses the predictive validity of the Phelps Kindergarten Readiness Scale (PKRS) for later academic achievement and explores the utility of a domain-specific measure of kindergarten readiness. Kindergarten readiness scores were significantly correlated with both math and language arts achievement as measured by New York State…