Tools for Transition in Early Childhood : A Step-by-Step Guide for Agencies, Teachers, and Families

For young children with and without disabilities, positive outcomes depend on smooth, effective transitions between and within early intervention programs, preschool programs, and public school programs. Now there's a how-to guide that helps professionals across programs work together to make these transitions happen. Co-authored by top expert Beth Rous, this book gives readers a step-by-step model that's been field tested across the country and shaped by feedback from state and local agencies. Professionals from different early childhood programs will learn to collaborate as they

• establish a clear vision of what transition should look like
• view transition from a general education and special education perspective
• set up a formal interagency structure to ensure effective teamwork
• make decisions as a group while avoiding conflict
• draw up a work plan that helps the team set goals and track outcomes
• guide children and families as they adapt to new environments, both on a daily basis and over time
• develop written materials to clarify roles and responsibilities for teachers, staff, and families

Case examples and question-and-answer sections in each chapter make the strategies easy to implement. And with approximately 25 photocopiable forms and sample letters, every phase of the planning process is easier — structuring the meetings, determining responsibilities, making decisions, involving families, and evaluating progress. An essential guidebook for program directors, administrators, and all their staff members, this book helps programs coordinate their services and plan transitions that ensure young children's school readiness.

Beth S. Rous is faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies, College of Education, and Director of the Kentucky Partnership for Early Childhood Services at Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute, University of Kentucky, Lexington. She began her career as a teacher, where she worked in public and private child care and taught at the preschool, elementary, and middle-school levels. Her research has involved a variety of topics in early childhood education and early childhood special education, including transition, standards and accountability, professional development systems, and program quality. She has published numerous articles, technical and training manuals, and book chapters. For almost 20 years, Dr. Rous provided training and technical assistance through a number of federally funded demonstration, outreach, and research projects. She served as Principal Investigator for the National Early Childhood Transition Center, and Co-PI for CONNECT: Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge. She has served in leadership roles in multiple professional organizations, including President of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.

Rena A. Hallam is the Executive Director of the Early Learning Center for Research and Practice and Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has served in an administrative capacity in both child care and Head Start settings. Her research interests focus on systemic issues related to the quality of early care and education programs with a particular focus on children living in poverty. Specifically, she has studied transition, assessment and accountability, personnel preparation in early education, and state initiatives to improve child care quality. Dr. Hallam also has served as a STEPS trainer and has collaborated with many local communities to devise, implement, and evaluate local interagency efforts to improve transition practices.