Improving Transitions from Early Childhood Settings into Pre-K and Kindergarten
Mini-Grants Application
2016
Overview: Family League of Baltimore, through the Family Literacy Coalition and School Climate Collaborative, is
providing a mini-grant opportunity to assist Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) and their external early childhood
partners in improving transitions into pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.
Grant Uses: Applications must focus on nurturing three connections:
1. Teacher/Provider to Teacher
2. Family to School
3. Child to School
It is important to note that some strategies are required and still others are highly recommended. Specifics about these
requirements are detailed in the Purpose section of this application.
Grant Awards: Between $1,000 and $2,500. We expect to make 10-15 grants.
Eligible Applicants: These grants are open to any BCPS Elementary School that does not have a Judy Center.
Grant Requirements and Deliverables: All activities and strategies must be implemented between February, 2016
and September 30, 2016. Grantees will be expected to measure the success of their transition activities. While specific
evaluation measures will be determined based on the scope of the activities, grantees should expect to report on the
following (final report is due October 28, 2016, template to be provided):
o The number of participants in enrollment workshops and back-to-school events
o The number of incoming children for whom the receiving school has relevant records
o Parent and provider satisfaction with transition process (a survey template will be provided)
o The number of students enrolled in pre-K by the end of school year 2015-16 or August 1, 2106, as compared to
the previous year
o Rates of attendance for pre-K and kindergarten in August and September of 2016 as compared to the previous
school year
Timeline: Applications are due no later than January 29, 2016. Awards will be made by mid-February.
Application Instructions: Complete the application cover page (included in this application), respond to the narrative
questions (on the following page) and submit both to Family League via email at rfps@familyleague.org.
Questions: Questions regarding this opportunity will be addressed during a pre-application meeting scheduled for
January 20th from 3:00 – 4:00. The meeting will take place at Family League offices. Questions may be submitted in
advance via email at rfps@familyleague.org. All responses to questions will be posted on our website on or about
January 22, 2016.
Purpose: When children and their families make the move to school for the first time (prekindergarten or
kindergarten) they must negotiate and adapt to new rules, new physical settings, new adults and peers, new
routines and expectations, and new ways of learning.1 Effective transitions help ensure children have better
behavioral and social-emotional adjustment and higher academic achievement, as well as increased family
involvement. Positive outcomes associated with effective transitions have been shown to be greater for lowincome populations.2
Elements of Effective Transitions
Effective transitions depend on nurturing three key connections: Child-to-School; Family-to-School; and
Teacher/Provider-to-Teacher. Sample best practices based on research and existing bright spots in Baltimore
City are described for each connection below. Some strategies are highly encouraged for all applicants (and are
noted as such), but schools and their partners are encouraged to customize strategies and their implementation
to their communities and school contexts.
1. Teacher/provider-to-teacher: The most important - and underutilized - transition activity is ensuring
that cross-level teachers build relationships, share information on curriculum, as well as information on
specific children’s development and learning.3
o Build relationships with child care providers and Head Start sites in the school catchment area and
meet periodically to build relationships. Required.
o Share written information on specific children’s development and ensure you receive incoming
children’s relevant records from prior setting. Please note that written transition plans are
requirements for both Head Start sites and Child Care providers at level 3 and above in the MD
Excels program. Required. Family League will provide a template to selected applicants.
o Provide information on Kindergarten Readiness Assessment standards; share information on
curriculums used in Pre-K/K, Head Start, and Child Care Centers. Highly encouraged. Family League
and partners will offer a joint professional development opportunity to all selected applicants in
the spring.
o Participate in any other joint transition-related training, or hold additional joint professional
development on topics identified as needs.
2. Family-to-school: Families also experience transitions and need to understand logistics of enrolling and
expectations of the new school. Families should be partners in supporting their children’s transitions and
should be given opportunities to share information about their children.
o Prekindergarten / Kindergarten enrollment orientations for parents introducing them to the school,
leadership and personnel, enrollment process and requirements, common core curriculum,
expectations on and importance of attendance, and how parents can prevent summer learning loss.
Highly encouraged. Family League and partners will provide an enrollment orientation toolkit to
all selected applicants.
1
Dockett, S. & Perry, B. (2005). “Researching with children: Insights from the Starting School Research Project.” Early Childhood
Development and Care, 175(6) 507-521; Fabian, H. (2007). “Informing Transitions” in Dunlop, A.W. & Fabian, H. (2007)
Informing Transitions in the Early Years, Open University Press, Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK.
2Ahtola, A., Silinskas, G., Poikonen, P., Kontoniemi, M., Niemi, P. & Nurmi, J. (2011). “Transition to formal schooling: Do
transition practices matter for academic performance?” Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26, 295-302; Cooper, C.E. &
Crosnoe, R. (2007). “The engagement in schooling of economically disadvantaged parents and children.” Youth and Society,38,
372-391; Schulting, A.B., Malone, P.S., Dodge, K.A. (2005). “The effect of school-based kindergarten transition policies and
practices on child academic outcomes.” Developmental Psychology, 41(6), 860-871.
3 LoCasale-Crouch, J., Mashburn, A.J., Downer, J.T., & Pianta, R.C. (2008). “Pre-kindergarten teachers’ use of transition practices
and children’s adjustment to kindergarten.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23, 124-139; Ahtola et al.
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o
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Back-to-school event in late summer inviting incoming families to get together and get ready for the
upcoming school year. Activities should be geared toward the community! Highly encouraged.
Family League and partners will provide a “Back-to-School” toolkit.
Home visits during the summer or beginning of new school year.
Text message dissemination to all families with pictures of their child in the new school during the
first two weeks of school.
3. Child-to-school: Enable children to become familiar with new school settings and the people in it (even if it is
not possible for the incoming child to visit the school they will be attending).
o Set up prekindergarten and kindergarten classroom visits for child care providers, Head Start sites,
and families in the school catchment area so that incoming children are able to meet current
students and teachers, explore the cafeteria and building, and participate in activities.
o Conduct home visits during the summer or beginning of the pre-k/k year of all students.
o Prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers send letters introducing themselves to each incoming
child in their class and his or her family.
Mini-Grant Application Questions: In four pages or less, please respond to the following questions:
1. Describe the characteristics (including demographics) of your school and the surrounding neighborhood
context. List the child care providers and Head Start sites in your school catchment area, describe your
existing relationship with these providers, and address whether you have or have not discussed this
application with them. (15 points)
a. If you need help identifying child care providers in your catchment area, consider using the
LOCATE service http://www.bcccrc.org/locate_child_care.html
b. A map of Head Start sites is available on the Family League website.
2. Describe the existing transition strategies (if any) in place at your school. Describe your prekindergarten
enrollment trends (i.e., Pre-k enrollment by the end of the school year, by August 1, 2015, and by the
first day of the new school year 2015-16), and your prekindergarten and kindergarten chronic absence
rates for the past two school years. (15 points)
3. Referring back to the “Elements of Effective Transitions” section of this RFP, describe your proposed
transition strategies that address each of the three connections. Ensure that each required strategy has
been included, but adapt those strategies to your community and context. List the indicators you will
use to measure your progress. (30 points)
4. Provide a chart that includes the breakdown of anticipated costs by line item, the activities associated
with those line items, and the timeline for when each line item will be spent. (30 points)
5. How do you plan to sustain these efforts into the next school year? (10 points)
Bonus Points: Ten (10) additional points will be awarded to applications containing letters of support from
licensed child care and/or Head Start providers in your school’s catchment area.
Funding Restrictions: Funds may not be used for equipment purchases, such as tablets, computer hardware,
office furniture, building renovations or capital improvements. In addition, they may not be provided directly to
parents, early childhood partner or school staff in the form of cash or gift cards.
Improving Transitions from Early Childhood Settings into Pre-K and Kindergarten
Mini-Grants Application Cover Page
2016
Applicant School Information:
School Name:
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School Principal Name:
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School Principal Email address:
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School Principal Phone Number:
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School Address:
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Contact Person:
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Contact Person Email Address:
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Contact Person Address:
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Project Information:
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Neighborhood: Choose an item. If more than one, please list any additional: Click here to enter text.
Community Statistical Area (CSA): For each neighborhood listed, please provide the CSA:
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Project Type: Select all that apply:
☐Teacher/Provider to Teacher
☐Family to School
☐Child to School
Bonus Points: Select if applicable:
☐Application includes a signed letter of support from a licensed child care and/or Head Start provider
Submit Application Cover Page and Narrative Response to Questions to rfps@familyleague.org
Applications are due January 29, 2016