What is the purpose of Transitional Kindergarten?

Transitional kindergarten gives young learners an opportunity to learn and grow in an environment tailored to meet their academic and social needs, providing them with the smart start they need to be confident learners in kindergarten and beyond.

Why is transitional kindergarten important?

Transitional kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn in an enriching and academically challenging environment that nurtures their growth. Research shows that children who attend kindergarten readiness programs like transitional kindergarten are more likely to do well in school and attend college.

What is the difference between kindergarten and transitional kindergarten?

A steppingstone between preschool and kindergarten, transitional kindergarten is often referred to as the first year of a two-year kindergarten experience.

What are the advantages of TK?

Overall, Transitional Kindergarten is a program that has benefited countless children since its start. TK provides children with the gift of time, an early introduction to the typical school setting, and the opportunity to receive convenient high-quality education.

Is transitional kindergarten worth it?

Research has shown that early childhood education programs benefit students in the classroom and beyond. One study found California students who attended an early version of transitional kindergarten entered kindergarten with stronger math and literacy skills than those who didn't.

Transitional Kindergarten: Growing Children’s Early Academic Skills

Can my child skip transitional kindergarten?

TK is not mandatory for children; however, it is the only option that will be universally available and free of cost for all families with children who turn four-years-old by September 1st starting in the 2025–26 school year.

Can kids go from TK to 1st grade?

Transitional Kindergarten is part of a two year kindergarten program. Therefore, children should be enrolled in kindergarten following TK. If you and the TK teacher agree that the child might be prepared for 1st grade, you will still register your child for kindergarten.

What is taught in TK?

Throughout each day, TK teachers integrate math, language and literacy development, social-emotional skills, and English language development.

What are the impacts of transitional kindergarten?

TK leads to earlier identification of special education needs. On average, special education needs—particularly for autism and speech/language impairments—are identified for TK students roughly half a grade earlier than for students who do not enroll in TK.

What's the difference between preschool and TK?

Preschools are sometimes located in or near an elementary school, but they can meet anywhere, including churches and homes. TK, however, meets in elementary schools, typically near the Kindergarten classrooms. Also, TK is free because it's part of the public school system.

What comes after transitional kindergarten?

Children who attend and complete TK then move on to kindergarten the following year. So, a child with a birthday within the TK range will have two years of kindergarten experience before going to first grade.

Can a 4 year old go to TK?

A: Expanding TK to serve all 4-year-olds creates a free preschool option for all families. Prior to the expansion of TK, families have either had to meet income requirements to be eligible for preschool programs, such as the California State Preschool Program or Head Start, or pay for private preschool.

What is the cut off for TK in California?

Who can attend Transitional Kindergarten? With the rollout of California's Universal TK, children who turn 5 from September 2, 2024 through June 2, 2025 are eligible to enroll in TK for the 2024-25 school year.

What does a transitional kindergarten classroom look like?

Class Sizes and Ratios

Beginning in the 2022 school year, TK classes must have a 12:1 student to adult ratio, with a maximum average of 24 children in the classroom at each school site. One of the two adults in the classroom must be a fully certificated TK teacher.

How old are transitional kindergarteners?

A Kindergarten Continuance Form is not needed for children who are age-eligible for TK. A child is eligible for TK if they have their fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 (inclusive) and each school year thereafter (EC 48000[c]).

What is a TK assessment?

Assess your TK students' academic and social-emotional development. Formative assessment helps you determine your students' academic and social-emotional development on an ongoing basis and is well-aligned with developmentally appropriate Transitional Kindergarten (TK) instruction.

What skills facilitate the transition and kindergarten?

There are certain expectations for what children should know before they start kindergarten, so you can make the transition to kindergarten easier by promoting fine and gross motor skills, literacy skills, math skills, and social skills with developmentally appropriate activities.

Is transitional kindergarten the same as pre K?

Pre-Kindergarten is much more engaging and focused on similar areas of the standard kindergarten curriculum. When it comes to Transitional Kindergarten, the TK environment is a mixture of Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten.

Why is the transition from preschool to kindergarten so difficult for some children?

The change may be harder for children who tend to need extra attention in preschool, who are having some trouble with social skills, who do not like to be in large groups or who have gone through other problems or losses, like divorce or a death in the family.

Does TK have a curriculum?

A Comprehensive TK Curriculum

Give 4-year-old children in California a strong start with a curriculum focused on social–emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development as well as literacy, math, science and technology, and the arts that provides the support teachers need every day.

Can a 4 year old start transitional kindergarten in California?

Next year, transitional kindergarten, or TK, will be available to far more 4-year-olds. In the 2023-2024 school year, children whose fifth birthdays are between Sept. 2 and April 2 will be eligible for the program. By the 2024-25 school year, children who turn 5 between Sept.

Why is kindergarten called TK?

Transitional kindergarten (abbreviated TK) is a California school grade that serves as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, to provide students with time to develop fundamental skills needed for success in school in a setting that is appropriate to the student's age and development.

Is TK mandatory in California?

Every public California school district is required to offer TK classes, but the grade itself isn't mandatory and parents can opt out of sending their kids.

Is it OK to start kindergarten at 6 years old?

No. Pursuant to EC 48000(a), a child is eligible for kindergarten if the child will have his or her fifth birthday by September 1.

How many hours is TK in California?

The annual instructional minutes requirement for TK is 36,000 minutes per year (Education Code [EC] sections 46207 and 47612.5). For school districts, the maximum school day in Kindergarten is 4 hours (EC Section 46111).