The West Virginia Education Association and the Appalachia Educational Laboratory formed a study group to examine transition activities used in West Virginia by preschool, Head Start, kindergarten, and early intervention programs. The study group members developed a program identification form and a program description form, which were disseminated to 100 transition programs. This guide provides findings from the 24 responding programs. These findings concern demographics, program rationale, activity types, decisionmaking, staff development, communications, records transfer, resources, and accomplishments and obstacles in relation to early childhood transition activities. Developed for educators and care providers, the guide includes: an introduction with background on the work of the Early Childhood Transition Study Group, a rationale for the importance of transition practices developed from a review of related literature, a description of the methodology and findings from responses to the group's Program Description Form, and recommendations for practitioners. The following areas of difficulty for transition programs were acknowledged: (1) communicating across agencies and with families; (2) identifying and reaching out to children with limited program resources; (3) sharing records without breaching confidentiality; (4) coordinating procedures with other agencies while adhering to funding agency guidelines; (5) helping children and families visit new settings; and (6) finding time for sending and receiving program teachers to craft individually appropriate transition efforts for all children and their families. A Service Provider Directory of study respondents and a bibliography on early childhood transitions are included. Appendices contain the Early Childhood Transitions Study Group Program Identification Form, Program Description Form, a Reflections and Recommendations Form and elements and exemplary practices for home, school, and community linkages. A separately published brochure, "Easing the Transition from Preschool to Kindergarten, A Guide for Early Childhood Teachers and Administrators," is attached. (AA)