Fall 2022 Early Learning Support for Local Communities: Transitions

Join us virtually for an opportunity to reconvene and collaborate with your local early learning partners to develop/improve transition strategies/plans.

Transition Goal in NC: All young children birth through age 8 and their families are engaged and supported as they transition between home, early care and education programs, and schools. Early care and education programs and schools collaborate so that they are ready to support all children effectively and engage with families and each other within the context of the community to plan transitions that meet the diverse needs of all children and families.

After the winter transition meetings, feedback was reviewed and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Early Learning conveners were excited to see the number of communities prioritizing transition activities. As promised, we are reconvening local early learning ESSA/transition teams to continue the conversation around transitions, utilize new resources, and provide an extended work session for planning and partnering with team members to develop/improve your local community transition plan.

The NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Partnership for Children, NC Early Childhood Foundation, the SERVE Center at UNCG, and EducationCounsel will once again support local communities in collaborating to create/update transition plans that meet requirements for all community partners and create an opportunity for meaningful coordination and collaboration. 

We are excited about this continued focus on aligning plans and creating a system that builds a strong foundation of learning for all children in our communities. Our continued commitment includes providing support as you collaborate across systems to focus on transitions and all the pieces that fall underneath such as family engagement and professional development.

JOIN US! Build your team and attend a virtual regional meeting. Please talk with local team members and plan your registration/attendance. Although registration allows individuals to register, please be sure your team is communicating and planning to attend as a team. The focus of this meeting is local coordination/collaboration; therefore, team attendance is vital for optimal success.

Suggested Attendees

• Superintendent or designee
• Title I Director
• Partnership for Children/Smart Start Executive Director or Program Director
• Head Start Director or Agency Executive Director
• CCR&R Representative
• NC Pre-K Administrator
• Early Intervention/Preschool Coordinators (and/or Exceptional Children’s Director)
• Elementary Director/Principal
• Teacher: Preschool & Kindergarten

Other Early Learning Partners to consider (various positions associated with young children and their families):

• Homeless Education Liaison
• DSS Director or Early Childhood Subsidy Representative
• Public Library Children’s Services Administrator
• Health Department – Child Services Representative
• Private Child Care Administrator/Teacher
• Parental Organization Administrator

Please register for the meeting scheduled in your NC State Board of Education Region. (*Note: We know that some people work in multiple counties. The county selected in the registration process will be used for placement in a breakout room to plan with local community teams.)

If for some reason your team is not able to meet on the scheduled date, please contact Carla Garrett at cgarrett at serve dot org to discuss. Please know that in order for a team to attend a meeting outside of the assigned State Board of Education region, the entire team will need to agree to the change. 

*Teams are encouraged to gather together in one location to attend the regional virtual meeting, if team members feel comfortable and safe doing so.

It is the intent of the NC Transition Pilot Initiative, as well as the focus on transition within the statewide ESSA Early Learning work, to include strategies and practices for successfully transitioning all children and their families into kindergarten and creating a shared understanding among early childhood programs, schools, administrators/directors, and families of what children should experience between early childhood programs and schools. This statewide initiative supports local coordination/collaboration and preparation for future work on a systems approach to early childhood coordination.