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 TK program shall assist students 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 the development, implementation, and evaluation of the district's TK program.
(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. (Education Code 48000)
Parents/guardians of eligible children shall be notified of the availability of the TK program and 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. 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/Principal 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.
At any time during the school year, the district may admit into the TK program a child whose fifth birthday is after December 2 of that same school year, provided that the Superintendent/Principal or designee recommends that enrollment in a TK program is in the child's best interest and the child's parents/guardians approve. 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. (Education Code 48000)
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 (CDE). 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 Learners)
The Board shall establish the length(s) of the school day in the district's TK program. TK programs may be maintained for different lengths of time either at the same or different school sites, as long as the school day is at least three hours but no more than four hours. The Superintendent/Principal or designee shall annually report to CDE as to whether the district's TK programs are offered full day, part day, or both. (Education Code 37202, 46111, 46115, 46117, 48003)
(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.
TK students may be placed in a classroom commingled with 4-year-old students from a California State Preschool Program as long as the classroom does not include students enrolled in TK for a second year or students enrolled in a regular kindergarten. (Education Code 8235, 48000)
Staffing
The Superintendent/Principal 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)
A credentialed teacher who is first assigned to a TK class after July 1, 2015, shall, by August 1, 2020, have at least 24 units in early childhood education and/or child development, comparable experience in a preschool setting, and/or a child development teacher permit issued by CTC. (Education Code 48000)
The Superintendent/Principal 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/Principal 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/Principal 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
8235 California State Preschool Program
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
48003 Kindergarten annual report
48200 Compulsory education, starting at age six
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
What Boards of Education Can Do About Kindergarten Readiness, Governance Brief, May 2016
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. 3, 2013
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 3, 2012
California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Vol. 2, 2011
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 2, 2010
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 WEST SIDE UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: January 10, 2019 Healdsburg, California