Early Childhood Transition and Kindergarten Decision-Making Think Small + Generation Next Prepared By: Gifty Amarteifio, Ph.D March 2019 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 FRAMING ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 2 POPULATION ................................................................................................................................................. 3 DEMOGRAPHICS ............................................................................................................................................. 3 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................ 6 EARLY CARE EDUCATION DECISION MAKING ............................................................................ 6 PURPOSE OF AN EARLY CARE EDUCATION PROGRAM ............................................................................. 6 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................ 7 PARENT AWARE ........................................................................................................................................... 8 HAVE HEARD OF THE PARENT AWARE RATING SYSTEM ............................................................................. 8 I AM SOMEWHAT AWARE OF THE PARENT AWARE RATING SYSTEM ........................................................... 8 HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE PARENT AWARE RATING SYSTEM ..................................................................... 9 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DECISION MAKING .............................................................................. 9 SCHEDULING AND LOGISTICS ........................................................................................................................ 9 LOCATION + NEIGHBORHOOD ..................................................................................................................... 10 PROGRAM COST ........................................................................................................................................... 10 TUITION AND SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE .................................................................................................. 11 SITE VISIT .................................................................................................................................................... 12 PROGRAM CULTURE .................................................................................................................................... 13 SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS ................................................................................. 13 REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS ...................................................................................................... 14 SUMMER TRANSITION ........................................................................................................................ 15 THE TRANSITION PREP .............................................................................................................................. 15 SHIFTING ECE PROGRAMS .......................................................................................................................... 15 A STEADY CHANGE IN THE TIME SPENT IN ECE ........................................................................................ 16 FORMAL SUMMER SUPPORT ..................................................................................................................... 16 NO ENROLLMENT IN A FORMAL PROGRAM ................................................................................................ 17 SUMMER ENROLLMENT ............................................................................................................................... 17 INFORMAL SUMMER SUPPORT .................................................................................................................. 17 SOCIAL ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 ACADEMICS ................................................................................................................................................. 19 STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................................. 20 REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS ...................................................................................................... 21 KINDERGARTEN DECISION MAKING ............................................................................................. 21 KEY FACTORS FOR DECISION-MAKING ................................................................................................... 22 PREVIOUS DECISION MADE FOR OLDER CHILD .......................................................................................... 22 ACADEMICS AND TEST SCORES .................................................................................................................. 22 POSITIVE WORD OF MOUTH ........................................................................................................................ 23 FINANCIAL COST ......................................................................................................................................... 24 DEMOGRAPHICS AND DIVERSITY ................................................................................................................ 24 SCHOOL TOURS ........................................................................................................................................... 25 SCHEDULING LOGISTICS .............................................................................................................................. 26 LOCATION/NEIGHBORHOOD ........................................................................................................................ 26 SCHOOL SPECIFIC APPROACH ..................................................................................................................... 27 CHILD’S PERSONALITY AND LEARNING STYLE .......................................................................................... 28 REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS ...................................................................................................... 29 AFTER THE DECISION ......................................................................................................................... 31 LOOKING BACK ON THE ENROLLMENT DECISION .................................................................................. 31 A NEW ENROLLMENT DECISION ................................................................................................................. 31 LATE DECISION MAKERS ............................................................................................................................ 32 DECISION SUSTAINED .................................................................................................................................. 34 CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION ...................................................................................................... 34 ECE AND KINDERGARTEN STAFF COMMUNICATION .................................................................................. 34 SCHOOL AND FAMILY COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................... 36 REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS ...................................................................................................... 38 ADJUSTING TO A NEW SCHOOL ...................................................................................................... 39 SMOOTH AND POSITIVE ADJUSTMENT TO KINDERGARTEN ................................................................... 39 CHALLENGING ADJUSTMENT TO KINDERGARTEN .................................................................................. 40 REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS ...................................................................................................... 41 RESPONDENT REFLECTIONS ............................................................................................................ 42 MOST HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR DECISION-MAKING ........................................................................... 42 PERSONAL SOCIAL NETWORK ..................................................................................................................... 42 SCHOOL-SPECIFIC RESOURCES ................................................................................................................... 43 SCHOOL TOURS ........................................................................................................................................... 43 ONLINE RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................... 44 NO USE OF RESOURCES 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