Specifications include, but are not limited to: The vendor will be responsible for creating the Massachusetts Preschool to Kindergarten Transition Toolkit and solicit feedback from key stakeholders during the development of the toolkit. The vendor will also work with DESE to translate materials as needed. The Transition Toolkit needs to be user-friendly and accessible to a diverse audience, and will include but not be limited to: Evidence-based overview on the importance of seamless preschool to kindergarten transitions, including its impact on development, school readiness, and later academic success; Transition framework that defines “school readiness” and includes guiding principles for ready schools, ready communities, ready families, and ready students and defines a set of high-quality standards for transition practices that focuses on all 4 elements; Recommended evidence-based, culturally responsive practices that support successful preschool to kindergarten transitions for a mixed delivery system to include but not be limited to: Local education agencies (LEAs): public preschool and kindergarten programs serving children of all abilities and backgrounds, including collaboratives, charter schools, career, vocational and technical early childhood programs, and approved special education schools, Community-based organizations (CBOs): community-based early education and care providers, including Head Start and family child care providers, serving children of all abilities and backgrounds, Families from culturally/linguistically diverse backgrounds, and State agencies; Recommended considerations and evidence-based practices that support successful preschool to kindergarten transitions for children with IEPs or 504 plans; Self-Assessment Tool for LEAs and CBOs; Transition Plan template to guide transition planning among administrators, educators, and families for children of all abilities; Facilitation Guide to include but not be limited to: Recommended members of the transition planning team; Flowchart of the transition process; Discussion prompts
