Our latest toolkit, Early Matters: Integrating Attendance into Kindergarten Transition is a guide to help you include attendance in key transition practices. Why focus on attendance during the transition into Kindergarten?
Entering kindergarten, whether from a preschool or from home, is an important milestone in a family’s life. A growing number of programs are in place to help families navigate this challenging and exciting experience. When it comes to our more vulnerable student populations, quality transition programs are especially important.
Helping families learn about the critical importance of excellent attendance is often not included in transition programs. The ideas and resources to overcome challenges to getting to preschool or school aren’t routinely provided.
Unfortunately research confirms that as many as 1 in every 10 children in kindergarten is chronically absent – missing 10 percent or more of the school year. This can be as little as 2 days each month! Absence levels are even higher in preschool. But we know that attendance matters from the very first years of a child’s education.
The Early Matters toolkit offers five key practices for reducing chronic early absence:
- Address Attendance During Transition Activities
- Discuss Attendance When Welcoming New Families
- Equip Families to Connect Attendance and Educational Success
- Use Attendance to Nurture a Strong School Community
- Offer Supports to Reduce Health-Related Absences
Each key practice includes:
- Ideas, strategies and downloadable resources to help schools, preschools, and community agencies partner with families at the site level
- Inspiring examples from around the country share what works to integrate attendance awareness into transition practices
The toolkit also outlines how districts, community partners and policy makers can put in place systems to promote the widespread use of these practices.
Learn how you can incorporate attention to attendance into kindergarten transition activities! Click the title to explore Early Matters: Integrating Attendance into Kindergarten Transition toolkit.
Sample Tweet!
An overlooked element of supporting a smooth transition to K is helping families overcome challenges to getting to preK or school & nurturing consistent attendance. @attendanceworks new Early Matters toolkit has ideas, resources & examples: https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/toolkits/integrating-attendance-into-kindergarten-transition/ #SchoolEveryDay
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