Area 5: Transition Support

Champions

• Department of Education, Office of Student Support Services, Special Education Section, Homeless Concerns Office, and Migrant Education

• Department of Health, Early Intervention Section

• Early Childhood Action Strategy:

  • Team 6: School Readiness for Successful Transitions – Early Childhood Community Teams Subcommittee

• Executive Office on Early Learning

• Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education, P-3 Initiatives

Actions

1. Engage in an interagency assessment of transition needs for a) children transitioning from Department of Health (DOH) Early Intervention Section to Department of Education (DOE) Special Education Preschool, and b) children/families experiencing homelessness or unstable housing as they transition into kindergarten, and generate an Assessment Report for agency leaders and staff on current processes, strengths, barriers, and recommendations (e.g., cross-walk eligibility differences for DOH Early Intervention Section and DOE Special Education services)

2. Integrate Department of Human Services’ Med-QUEST Health and Functional Assessment into the Transition Supports process to ensure the appropriate health- and medical-related services are made available and/or maintained for children receiving Medicaid benefits, regardless of parental decisions on transition options

3. In the context of the assessment report, and to optimize transitions to kindergarten for all, engage community service and early care and education providers in all settings in addressing the needs of families and children transitioning into kindergarten

Indicators of Success

• Definitions, standards, practices, agreements, and indicators for successful transition are established

• Completed interagency assessment and report have been distributed to agency leaders and other interested parties, including recommendations for action

• Action taken by agencies, and others as appropriate, in response to recommendations has begun

• Written agreements for data-sharing are developed, as necessary.

• Agency staff report strong, collaborative intra- and interagency relationships to support successful transitions

• Eligible children are receiving the medically necessary services they require, regardless of familial decisions on transition options

• Providers are aware of transition supports and are effectively coaching families on transitions

• Long-term: Agencies and families have data on the rate of successful transitions

• Long-term: Parents report being engaged and well-informed about their child's specific needs related to transition, including knowing how best to support their child, and feeling able to make decisions about transition alternatives

Champions

• Department of Education, Office of Student Support Services, Special Education Section, Homeless Concerns Office, and Migrant Education

• Department of Health, Early Intervention Section

• Early Childhood Action Strategy:

  • Team 1: Healthy & Welcomed Births

  • Team 2: Safe & Nurturing Families

  • Team 4: Equitable Access to Programs & Services – Child Homelessness Action Team Subcommittee

  • Team 5: High Quality Programs & Services – Family Partnership Guidelines Subcommittee

• Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education, P-3 Initiatives

Actions

• Develop family-friendly culture of engagement that enhances family knowledge about transitions and builds trusted relationships in support of the best possible child development

• Establish a school-based and program-based culture of safety and support for families and children with housing needs by ensuring appropriate staff are well-trained on vital information and best practices (e.g., McKinney-Vento Act, trauma-informed care)

• Families with housing needs and children heading into kindergarten are identified and connected to transition supports and housing services

Indicators of Success

• Providers are using the Transition Toolkit and are reporting it is effective for working with families

• Parents report being engaged and well-informed about their child's specific needs related to transition, including knowing how best to support their child, and feeling able to make decisions about transition alternatives

• Professional development offerings have incorporated safety and support for families and children with housing needs

• Transition supports training attendees report:

  • Increased confidence working with families and children with housing needs

  • Being better equipped to respond to families and children with housing needs

• Families report their school-based environment is supportive of their needs

• Children are registered on time for kindergarten

• Outreach, Keiki Steps to Kindergarten, and mini-transition services are delivered at transitional housing locations and shelters

Transition from DOH EIS (Part C) to DOE SpEd Preschool (Part B)

2008-2016

• In 2008, 30% of families surveyed preferred their child remain in DOH EIS program, but most families that felt initial apprehension about the transition ended up feeling positive about their child’s experience; after the transition, 16% of families still preferred DOH EIS services

• Key transition supports: transition conference and DOE Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting; other supports include: pre-transition site visit, explanation of DOE evaluation report; and, being welcomed by DOE staff

2020

• 100% of children eligible for Part B were referred by Part C prior to age three, and 95% had an IEP developed and implemented on time

• 94% of toddlers with special needs exited Part C with timely, completed transition plans

• 54% of parents indicate the school facilitated parental involvement

• General perception among families is that mainstream kindergarten is not well suited for children with special needs

Recommendations

• Define a “successful” transition and an “unsuccessful” one

• Identify the characteristics of the family, the child, and/or the setting that positively impact transitions

• Identify what barriers negatively impact the transition for the child/family

• Deepen the data on transitions

Transition to Kindergarten (in general)

2008-2016

• 2016 study of 755 parents of kindergartners in DOE schools:

  • 83% aware of early registration

  • 87% knew what materials were needed for registration

  • 96% found the registration process easy to understand

  • 88% understood their child’s schedule

  • 41% were concerned about their child making friends

  • 23% were concerned about their child’s adjustment

  • 14% were concerned about their child’s experience

2020

• Qualitative data indicates a lower level of satisfaction with transition because the supports are ad hoc, too fluid, and families have to request support and transferring information

• Parents desire:

  • More communication and guidance throughout the transition

  • Explicit information on transition challenges

  • Information on the major variations between pre-k and kindergarten philosophies

  • Advance introduction to kindergarten teacher

  • Transition protocols for those coming from play-based settings into academic kindergarten

Recommendations

• Same as above

• Provide transition support information to families at multiple points in time

• Develop portfolios of children’s work to bring to kindergarten

• Reintroduce universal kindergarten entry assessment

• Secure needs assessment information specific to children and families experiencing unstable housing