The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, is pleased to share a resource for parents of children entering kindergarten.  The resource is a culmination of many offices within MDE working together to develop Parent Guides, a series of tip sheets which highlight a variety of questions parents may have when their children are entering kindergarten. 

The Parent Guides were developed out of a request from a stakeholder group of parents of young children who reported that the most difficult transition time for them was kindergarten entry.  The Parent Guides were reviewed by the Parent Involvement Committee of the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) and were approved by the SICC and authorized for distribution by MDE.

Memo to Early Childhood Administrators

Memo to Parents

Directory of Parent Guides

Introduction - Entry Into Kindergarten

Parent Guide #1 - How Do I know if My Child Is Ready for Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #2 - What if My Child Has a Disability?

Parent Guide #3 - Will My Child Benefit From an Extra Year of Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #4 - Selecting Full or Half-Day Kindergarten, Which is Best for My Child?

Parent Guide #5 - How Do I Enroll My Child in Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #6 - What Does a Great Kindergarten Program Look Like?

Parent Guide #7 - Why Play in Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #8 - How Will My Child Get to School?

Parent Guide #9 - How Can I Help My Child Ease Those First Day Jitters?

Parent Guide #10 - What Will My Child Do in Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #11 - What Will My Child Learn in Kindergarten?  Reading Success=Student Success

Parent Guide #12 - How Do I Know if My Child Is Learning?

Parent Guide #13 - What if There Are Concerns About My Child's Development?

Parent Guide #14 - What Do I Do if My Child Doesn't Speak English?

Parent Guide #15 - How Can I Help My Child Become a Reader?

Parent Guide #16 - Are There Books to Read to Get My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Parent Guide #17 - What About Communication?

Parent Guide #18 - What Can I Do at Home?

Parent Guide #19 - How Can I Be Involved With My Child's Education?

Parent Guide #20 - What Is a 504 Plan for Children With Special Needs?

Parent Guide #21 - What About Sharing My Family Culture?