With the ongoing changes in education and the changing demographics of students in schools, the topic of school readiness is imperative. When children enter elementary school behind academically and socially, they are not prepared to be successful learners in kindergarten. Because school readiness is an indicator of school success, it is important…

Kindergarten teachers can support children's transition to school by reaching out to parents to encourage parent involvement. These outreach efforts, which are also commonly referred to as transition practices, have the potential to support children's transition to school. Scholars suggest that teachers' beliefs shape their practices. This article…

In this report I share the results of a document-based, comparative case study aimed at increasing our understanding about the potential utility of state kindergarten entry assessments (KEAs) to provide evidence of English learner (EL) kindergartners' knowledge and skills and, in turn, inform kindergarten teachers' instruction. Using a sample of 9…

This report contains reliability and validity evidence for the North Carolina Kindergarten Entry Assessment system (KEA) using a statewide sample of kindergarten children. The KEA was designed as a formative, developmental, authentic, and criterion referenced classroom resource for teachers. As a formative assessment, the KEA focuses on the…

This dialogic analysis, on the professional identities of five public preschool teachers from a major metropolitan school district in the United States, examines the dialogic space of participants in a context where discourses of play-based pedagogies and academic readiness were in competition. In discussing the pedagogical tensions that ensued…

As the pressure to succeed academically is imposed on children earlier than ever before, it is essential to understand what characteristics are most important to parents and teachers in order to be school ready. While formally readiness is typically measured using chronological age and mastery of cognitive skills, it also involves physical,…

Over the past 8 years, U.S. kindergarten classrooms have been impacted by policies mandating or recommending the administration of a specific kindergarten entry assessment (KEA) in the initial months of school as well as the increasing reliance on digital technology in the form of mobile apps, touchscreen devices, and online data platforms. Using…

The study of school readiness is multifaceted, encompassing an understanding of many developmental areas and skills. In the current educational culture of high-stakes testing, increased rigor, and high learning expectations, parents may be concerned about a child's readiness to begin kindergarten. With increased accountability, teachers may also…

Using a nationally representative dataset of young children in the United States (the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Birth Cohort), the purpose of this study was to test the associations between teachers' perceptions of preschoolers' (N = 3350) school readiness and actual academic readiness levels, as measured by math and reading assessments.…

This paper examines how early childhood policy initiatives in the United Kingdom and internationally currently reflect neoliberal concerns with school readiness in the development of human capital and what diverse theoretical perspectives might offer. The focus is a project involving a group of early childhood academics from one university and a…

This study examined whether children's observed individual engagement with teachers, peers, and tasks related to their school readiness after controlling for observed preschool classroom quality and children's baseline skills. The sample included 211 predominately low-income, racially/ethnically diverse 4-year-old children in 49 preschool…

Using a mixed-methods approach, the researcher investigated the generalization of Positive Behavior Supports Skills (PBIS) within an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program, implemented with fidelity, as evidenced by statewide recognition for 10 years in a row, to the kindergarten setting in a Midwestern School District. Through…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine parent involvement practices of the Early Beginnings Head Start program and to determine the impact that parent involvement has on the early language and literacy development of preschool children. Although parent involvement practices are evident throughout Head Start programs, the specific…

Background: There is an urgent need to accelerate the detection of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A recent brief questionnaire designed for teachers and nursery staff, the Brief Early Skills and Support Index (BESSI), shows promising psychometric properties (Hughes, Daly, Foley, White, & Devine, 2015. "British Journal…

In 2014, the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) was asked to provide information on how other states are approaching the development and implementation of Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) as part of a comprehensive assessment system. Specifically, the request asked for information about KEA measures used by other states, the…