The Reality of a Transitional First Grade

My daughter just finished kindergarten. She received mostly S's and a few N's. The teacher wants her to be placed in the transitional first grade, as she sometimes mixes up letter sounds and upper and lowercase letters, as well as some numbers when writing them to 100.
To me, transitional first grade is a repeat of kindergarten because the next year she would go to first grade. I have purchased a summer reading program that the school was offering to help her this summer with her letter friends. What else can I do to avoid her being placed in the transitional first-grade classroom? -- Against Transition Classes
Answer: The purpose of transitional first-grade classrooms is to save children from being retained in first grade by offering remediation to at-risk children. It serves to solidify kindergarten skills. Many of the students who are assigned to transitional classrooms are younger children with summer birthdays or those whose teachers considered them immature.
You are absolutely correct in saying that transitional first-grade classrooms are a form of retention. On the other hand, today's first-grade classrooms have become very rigorous academically. The few long-term studies done on children who went to a transitional first grade generally show comparable achievement later on to children who were recommended and attended first grade. The results are less positive for those who were recommended for transitional first grade and instead went on to first grade.
To improve your daughter's reading skills, use the school program that you purchased. Then get more ideas on how to help her at the International Reading Association website at www.readwritethink.org. Improve her number skills by having her write the numbers and play Bingo and other number games. Before school starts again, ask the school to re-evaluate your child's skill level. You may find that she has gained the skills needed for the regular first-grade classroom.