A new tool to support young children’s transition into Kindergarten is now available to Nebraska families, schools, and communities.

The Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide was produced under the direction of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska and serves as a toolkit and set of resource guides for families, school district leadership, Kindergarten teachers, and early childhood care and education providers and administrators. Each toolkit shares valuable information on best practices for children taking the next step in their educational journey to Kindergarten and includes research-based activities and approaches.  

“Transitions can be a scary time for young children and a challenge for families, and the toolkits provide practical recommendations for early childhood environments, families, and schools,” said Lisa Roy, former director of program development at the Buffett Institute and project lead for the Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide. “The goal of the toolkits is to create the smoothest transitions possible for Nebraska's young learners.”  

The Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide is supported by the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) and is part of the work of the Transition Committee, a PDG activity focusing on collaboration and increasing understanding of the transition for families, educators, providers, and schools. WestEd, an educational research and service organization, developed and designed the toolkits, and more than 50 people from across Nebraska collaborated to provide input in creating the toolkits and customizing them for the state.  
 
“Nebraska stakeholders wanted toolkits for each of the audiences that have the greatest impact on successful transitions—parents, child care providers, and schools,” said Roy.  

The goal of the toolkits is to: 

• Strengthen collaboration among early childhood providers and public schools 
• Support learning and development to meet the needs of all children equitably  
• Build knowledge among professionals in early childhood care and education and schools 
• Promote partnership between families, educators, and communities 
• Help align a successful transition for children to Kindergarten 

“I was honored to have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of professionals on the transition toolkits," said Alyssa Anson, an education specialist at the Nebraska Department of Education. “These toolkits are an essential resource for Nebraska’s early childhood workforce and parents of young children and provide the necessary resources to empower Nebraska’s parents, teachers, and administrators to continue to make Nebraska the best place to be a baby.” 

Click here for more information about the Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide.