The Governing Board desires to offer a high-quality transitional kindergarten (TK) program for eligible children who do not yet meet the minimum age criterion for kindergarten. The program shall assist TK children in developing the academic, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
The district's TK program shall be the first year of a two-year kindergarten program. (Education Code 48000)
The Board encourages ongoing collaboration among district preschool staff, other preschool providers, elementary teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
Eligibility
The district's TK program shall admit children whose fifth birthday is from September 2 through December 2 in the current school year. (Education Code 48000)
When space is available, additional students may be admitted based on developmental readiness and by meeting the following age criteria:
1. Students whose birthday lies between December 3 and January 2 in the current school year will be considered first.
2. Students whose birthday lies between January 3 and January 31 in the current school year will be considered second.
3. Students whose birthday lies between February 1 and May 31 in the current school year will be considered third.
Parents/guardians of eligible children shall be notified of the availability of the TK program and the age, residency, immunization, and any other enrollment requirements. Enrollment in the TK program shall be voluntary.
(cf. 5111 - Admission)
(cf. 5111.1 - District Residency)
(cf. 5111.12 - Residency Based on Parent/Guardian Employment)
(cf. 5141.22 - Infectious Diseases)
(cf. 5141.3 - Health Examinations)
(cf. 5141.31 - Immunizations)
(cf. 5141.32 - Health Screening for School Entry)
Upon request of a child's parents/guardians, the district may, on a case-by-case basis after the Superintendent or designee determines that it is in the child's best interest, admit into the district's TK program a child whose fifth birthday is on or before September 1 and who is therefore eligible for kindergarten.
The district may admit into the TK program a child whose fifth birthday is after December 2, provided that the child is admitted during the school year on or after his/her fifth birthday and the Superintendent or designee recommends that enrollment in a TK program is in the child's best interest. Prior to such enrollment, the child's parents/guardians shall be provided information regarding the advantages and disadvantages and any other explanatory information about the effect of early admittance.
Curriculum and Instruction
The district's TK program shall be based on a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. (Education Code 48000)
(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation)
(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)
The program shall be aligned with the preschool learning foundations and preschool curriculum frameworks developed by the California Department of Education. It shall be designed to facilitate students' development in essential skills related to language and literacy, mathematics, physical development, health, visual and performing arts, science, history-social science, English language development, and social-emotional development.
(cf. 5148.3 - Preschool/Early Childhood Education)
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
(cf. 6174 - Education for English Language Learners)
The Board shall fix the length of the school day in the district's TK program, which shall be at least three hours but no more than four hours.
(cf. 6111 - School Calendar)
(cf. 6112 - School Day)
TK students may be placed in the same classrooms as kindergarten students when necessary, provided that the instructional program is differentiated to meet student needs.
Staffing
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that teachers assigned to teach in TK classes possess a teaching credential or permit from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) that authorizes such instruction.
(cf. 4112.2 - Certification)
The Superintendent or designee may provide professional development as needed to ensure that TK teachers are knowledgeable about the standards and effective instructional methods for teaching young children.
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
Continuation to Kindergarten
Students who complete the TK program shall be eligible to continue in kindergarten the following school year. Parents/guardians of such students shall not be required to submit a signed Kindergarten Continuance Form for kindergarten attendance.
However, whenever children who would otherwise be age-eligible for kindergarten are enrolled in TK, the Superintendent or designee shall obtain a Kindergarten Continuance Form signed by the parent/guardian near the end of the TK year consenting to the child's enrollment in kindergarten the following year.
A student shall not attend more than two years in a combination of TK and kindergarten. (Education Code 46300)
(cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)
Assessment
The Superintendent or designee may develop or identify appropriate formal and/or informal assessments of TK students' development and progress. He/she shall monitor and regularly report to the Board regarding program implementation and the progress of students in meeting related academic standards.
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
8973 Extended-day kindergarten
37202 School calendar; equivalency of instructional minutes
44258.9 Assignment monitoring by county superintendent of schools
46111 Kindergarten, hours of attendance
46114-46119 Minimum school day, kindergarten
46300 Computation of ADA, inclusion of kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
48000 Age of admission, kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
48002 Evidence of minimum age required to enter kindergarten or first grade
48200 Compulsory education, starting at age six
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Transitional Kindergarten FAQs
Desired Results Developmental Profile, 2015
Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Guide: A Resource for California Public School District Administrators and Teachers, 2013
California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Vol. 1, 2010
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 1, 2008
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov
California Kindergarten Association: http://www.ckanet.org
Commission on Teacher Credentialing: http://www.ctc.ca.gov
Transitional Kindergarten California: http://www.tkcalifornia.org
Policy FRANKLIN-MCKINLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: June 23, 2015 San Jose, California
revised: March 22, 2016
revised: April 27, 2017