Ready or Not - Childcare Providers’ and Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions on the School Readiness of Children with and without Disabilities

The Ready or Not study examined the perceptions of center-based childcare provider and kindergarten teacher perceptions on school readiness of children with and without disabilities. Findings indicated that reporting childcare providers placed more emphasis on academic readiness skills while kindergarten teachers placed more emphasis on social and behavioral skills. Surveyed participants also indicated their beliefs that children’s preschool experiences are important for school readiness and that children without disabilities tend to be more ready for kindergarten than children with disabilities. While these findings help advance present understanding of the differences in perceptions of childcare providers and kindergarten teachers on school readiness further research is recommended to replicate results and delve deeper into the reasons behind the differences. Results of this study also emphasize the need for better communication of kindergarten ex­pectations and for teaching social and behavioral skills necessary to help children make a smooth kindergarten transition.