Supporting Children with Disabilities Through the Preschool-to-Kindergarten Transition: What School and District Leaders Can Do
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The transition to kindergarten can be both exciting and challenging for young children and their families: Entering a new school environment means navigating new routines, expectations, social interactions, and approaches to individualized support. Given these new parameters, young children may struggle to regulate their emotions and behaviors, and families may feel anxious or uncertain about how their children will adjust. This is particularly true for children with disabilities.
Everyone in the early childhood landscape, including teachers, administrators, special education staff, related service providers, and families, plays a role in successful preschool-to-kindergarten transitions. When administrators and school leaders take intentional, collaborative steps to support teachers, children, and families, the result is a smoother, more equitable start to school for every child.
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Stevie Makres is a kindergarten teacher in East Tennessee. Her professional experience spans elementary resource and inclusion classrooms, and her work focuses on inclusive practices for supporting students with disabilities in general education kindergarten settings.
Taylor Weber is a PhD student in elementary education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a former K–2 teacher, and a graduate assistant whose research focuses on culturally responsive teaching, early literacy, and writing instruction in teacher preparation.
Emily Holtz, PhD, is an assistant professor of elementary education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, whose work focuses on preparing teachers to create equitable and responsive learning environments for all children.