Communication between all those involved in the transition-to-kindergarten process is more meaningful and effective when everyone shares a common understanding of terms and roles. Use and share this glossary with leaders, educators, families, and involved community members to ensure they have a mutual understanding of common terms and staff roles within Head Start programs and receiving elementary schools.
A Bridge Between Settings
A well-coordinated transition eases challenges for children and families as they move from the familiarity of a Head Start program to a new kindergarten classroom. Understanding the common terms used to describe the different but similar roles and components in each setting can help to ensure a smooth partnership and planning process. Use the following language crosswalk and glossary to build a bridge between Head Start programs and receiving elementary schools. Head Start and elementary school leaders and educators, families, and community members can use this resource to understand and navigate each setting in the kindergarten transition. While the language crosswalk points out comparable Head Start and elementary school roles, the exact duties of the individuals in each setting may differ. The language crosswalk is intended to help identify individuals in Head Start and elementary school settings whose job responsibilities overlap, and whose role with children and families will likely be passed on from one to the other in the transition to kindergarten.
Language Crosswalk
| Head Start | Elementary School | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Program | School | The setting in which learning takes place. |
| Children | Students | The children who attend a program or school. |
| Dual language learner (DLL) | English as a second language (ESL) | Terms used to describe children and adults who can speak or are learning more than one language, which may include English, and their home language. |
| Education staff | Teacher | The staff members qualified to work directly with children. In Head Start settings, this includes educators, teachers, home visitors, and family child care providers. |
| Assistant educator | Paraprofessional | The staff members qualified to work directly with children in support of the lead educator or primary classroom teacher. In Head Start programs, this includes assistant teachers and aides. In public schools, this includes educational aides and any other supplemental staff who provide educational services. |
| Family service worker | School social worker | Staff who provide services for children and families that are not directly related to education or learning activities but support them to successfully access learning opportunities and a variety of other services. |
| Program director | Principal | The program and school leaders responsible for overseeing operations and ensuring successful implementation of standards or curricula. |
| Disabilities services coordinator | Special education teacher | The person responsible for identifying and ensuring appropriate support for children with disabilities. In a Head Start setting, this role identifies and oversees the appropriate direct service providers; an elementary school special education teacher provides services directly. |
| Family services coordinator, family engagement manager, or other family services staff | School counselor or social worker | The person who coordinates services available for children and their families, including mental health services, support specialists, and available community programs. A school counselor may also be the direct provider of some of these services. |
| Health manager | School nurse | The person who monitors, screens, and documents the health of children enrolled in a program or school. In a Head Start setting, the health manager oversees child health status tracking, health screenings, program-wide health and safety, and reports to the Health Advisory Committee. In an elementary school setting, the school nurse provides direct care for children in need of medical attention and, if needed, provides further care recommendations. |
| Education program manager | Curriculum specialist | A person who oversees educational content and supports effective teaching practices within a program or school. |
| Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) | Curriculum standards | The standards of quality to which a program or school is bound. While school curricula focus on learning standards, the HSPPS encompass overall program operations, quality, and services, including education, health management, and family and community engagement. |
| Policy Council or parent committee | Parent Teacher Association (PTA) | The organization in which parents and families can become involved and contribute to decision-making. In Head Start settings, the voice of the Policy Council is required and very influential in program direction, design, and operations. In elementary school settings, the PTA is not typically involved in policy decisions. |
| Family engagement | Family engagement | In the Head Start setting, this term references family involvement in program planning and activities, as well as efforts to partner with families to form family goals. In K–12 schools, this refers to including families in school activities, information nights, and extra-curricular events. |
| Governing body | School board | The group that oversees regional operations of several programs or schools. |
| Head Start area manager | Superintendent | The person responsible for overseeing operations and ensuring that program or curriculum standards are met at each of a number of sites. |
| Grantee | School district | The programs or schools within a region that serve children and operate under the same funding and governing bodies. |
| Enrollment | Registration | The process through which children may enter into and receive services from a program or school. |
| Family-style mealtime | Lunchroom or cafeteria | The approach that a program or school takes to serving meals. In Head Start programs, meals are typically served family style in the same space where learning occurs (e.g., in the classroom or home child care setting). In school settings, meals take place in a designated communal space and are offered through counter service, with some children bringing meals from home. |
| Outdoor play | Recess and physical education (PE) | Children in Head Start programs participate in regularly scheduled outdoor playtime. Children in school have free-choice outdoor play during daily recess, as well as structured PE classes. |
Glossary of Terms and Common Acronyms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Local education agency (LEA) | A school district or other entity which operates local public elementary and secondary schools. |
| Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF): Ages Birth to Five | The ELOF presents five broad areas of early learning, referred to as central domains. The framework is designed to show the continuum of learning for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. It is grounded in comprehensive research about what young children should know and be able to do during their early years. |
| Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) | ESSA is the national policy which holds K–12 public schools accountable for providing quality education for all children. |
| Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) | The HSPPS are the regulations that govern Head Start programs. |
| Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®): Pre-K | CLASS® helps programs build and measure the effectiveness of teacher–child interactions and environments. The tool helps programs achieve and support relationships and interactions between teachers and children in their learning environments. |
| Home Visit Rating Scales-Adapted + Extended Version 2 (HOVRS-A+v2) | HOVRS-A+v2 measures home visiting practices and family engagement using a coding system for observations in the home. It is designed to gauge home visitor quality and effectiveness with families in programs that serve infants and children up to age 5. |
| Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS) | ECERS is used to measure the quality of programs for infants and toddlers birth to age 3 by collecting data through classroom observations and staff interviews. |
| Individual Education Program (IEP) | An IEP maps out the special education instruction, supports, and services children and young adults, ages 3 to 21, need to make progress and succeed in school. Each IEP is designed and routinely revisited to meet the individual's exact needs. It is described and required by law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). |
| Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) | An IFSP guides and supports efforts to boost a child's development up to age 3. At age 3, qualifying children and their families make the transition to an IEP. |
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Resource Type: Publication
National Centers: Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning
Age Group: Preschoolers
Last Updated: November 14, 2024