Abstract Families face adverse experiences in gentrified urban areas, including dangerous living conditions, eviction, and homelessness. Parents and caregivers often work long hours to avoid these outcomes, leaving children with reduced home literacy interactions lacking necessary letter knowledge for kindergarten. This study examines the effectiveness of direct instruction literacy methods for pre-kindergarteners in gentrified urban areas. Similar direct instruction methods in preschools have...

Abstract Core academic skills acquired in preschool and applied in kindergarten are a strong predictor of future achievement. However, many children transition from preschool to kindergarten with a already-identified achievement gap that is magnified by additional factors such as learning environment and student expectations. Schools that advocate for transitionary readiness should folow systemic pillars to foster student success. These key characteristics provide necessary supports for children...