ABSTRAK. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kesulitan belajar siswa kelas awal sekolah dasar alumni PAUD dan Non PAUD. Peneliti menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode fenomenologis untuk memperoleh pemahaman tentang kesulitan belajar siswa di kelas awal.. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah wawancara dan dokumentasi. Data yang dikumpulkan selanjutnya dianalisis dengan menggunakan interaktif model dengan langkah-langkah analisis data yaitu reduksi data, penyajian data, penarikan kesimpulan dan verifikasi. Teknik pemeriksaan keabsahan data yang digunakan adalah teknik credibility (derajat kepercayaan) yakni, triangulasi member check. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pertama, siswa yang mengalami kesulitan belajar terdapat di seluruh kelas awal (kelas 1, 2 dan 3) sekolah dasar negeri 92 kendari, yang diidentifikasi berasal dari alumni PAUD dan Non PAUD; kedua, bentuk-bentuk kesulitan kesulitan belajar siswa kelas awal antara lain nilai belajar yang tidak tuntas, kurang konsentrasi saat pembelajaran sehingga tugas-tugas pembelajaran tidak dikerjakan, kurang memahami perintah atau arahan guru dan soal ulangan tidak terjawab seluruhnya.Kata Kunci: Kesulitan Belajar Siswa, PAUDABSTRACT. This study aims to describe the learning difficulties of early grade students of primary school alumni of early childhood education and non-early childhood education. Researchers used a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods to gain an understanding of students' learning difficulties in the early grades. The data collection techniques used were interviews and documentation. The data collected was then analyzed using an interactive model with data analysis steps, namely data reduction, data presentation, drawing conclusions and verification. The data validity checking technique used is the credibility technique, namely, member check triangulation. The results showed that first, students who experienced learning difficulties were found in all initial classes (grades 1, 2 and 3) of 92 Kendari public elementary schools, which were identified as coming from alumni of PAUD and Non PAUD; Second, the forms of learning difficulties for early grade students include incomplete learning scores, lack of concentration during learning so that learning tasks are not done, lack of understanding of teacher orders or directions and test questions are not answered entirely.Keyword: Student Learning Difficulties, Early Childhood Education