Title:

Through the Door: A Case Study of Kindergarten Transition in One Elementary School

Nearly 4 million children “walk through the door” and enter kindergarten each year in the U.S. (U.S. Department of Education, 2015), yet this major life transition is not well understood, despite being a topic of research for several decades. This study examined the perspectives of both school staff and families using a mixed-methods case study design to gain a deeper understanding of the transition process in one elementary school in a Northeast city with a population of over 30,000 residents. Guided by a sociocultural theoretical framework, this case study primarily used qualitative methods (document analysis, observations, and interviews) with a quantitative component embedded within, the Family Experiences & Involvement in Transition survey (McIntyre, et al., 2007). This study found variation in how families defined and experienced transition, including what supports they needed and the challenges they and their children faced. In contrast, school staff defined transition more narrowly and valued academically oriented repertoires of practice. As a result, families and children were expected to fit into school and be ready for school through the transition process, which does not align with a shared responsibility of school readiness. More effort from schools is needed to take part in this collaboration and open the door for families to be more involved in transition, which will require change at multiple levels, including training/professional development for pre/inservice teachers and school/district administrators, structural changes in kindergarten curriculum, and policy.

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