Supporting Transitions & Alignment
Young children’s successful transition from preschool to kindergarten lays the groundwork for future success in school and life. This page provides a variety of reports, guidebooks, research briefs, and other materials centered on successful strategies for supporting transitions and alignment between preschool and early elementary. It also includes evidence from states that have improved outcomes for children and adapted their transition activities in the wake of COVID-19.
Resources
The following resources focus on transition and alignment topics, including effective policies and practices, collaborations and partnerships, planning and implementation, and state examples.

Adaptations to COVID-19: How PDG B-5 Grant Recipients Adapted Their Transition Activities
Themes emerged in a report on Grantees adapting to COVID-19. Including delaying activities, priority shifts, impacts on staffing, and virtual environments.
Using Local, State, and Federal Dollars to Improve Transitions
This brief shares why transitions matter, highlights transition and alignment practices, and explains funding that support these transition activities
Supporting Transitions: Resources for Building Collaboration
These briefs focus on effective transitions, including collaborations and partnerships, supports for children, partnerships with families, and policy alignment.
Transitions and Alignment from Preschool to Kindergarten
This brief shares ways for creating a coordinated preschool to kindergarten system, guidance for developing effective transitions, and state alignment examples.
Effective Early Childhood Transitions
This guide shares regulations and recommended practices and procedures for establishing effective transitions at age 3 for young children with disabilities.
Transition to Kindergarten: Transition Summit Guide
This resource guide provides practical and actionable planning materials to design and conduct statewide and regional summits on the transition to kindergarten.
Maine’s Initiatives to Improve Outcomes for Children
The brief shares how Maine worked with partners to improve, align, and coordinate programs and services across the early childhood and elementary school years.
Building First 10 Schools and Communities
This report focuses on First 10 Schools and Communities that brings together school districts, schools, and early childhood programs to improve quality
Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating P-3 Approaches
This guide provides a framework to support the developmental P-3 approaches in schools, districts, and communities.
PreK–3 Alignment: Challenges and Opportunities in California
This brief presents findings from a California study examining the state’s P-3 alignment landscape. It describes efforts, challenges, and policy implications.
PreK, Kindergarten and the Early Grades: Pandemic Planning
This peer-to-peer review summarizes conversations with education decisionmakers in Colorado about P-3 plans for fall 2020.