BP 6170.1 — Transitional Kindergarten

Section: 6000 - Instruction
Status: Active

Adopted: 2022-06-02

Policy text

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

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 needed to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

The district’s TK program shall be the first year of a two-year kindergarten program.

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.

Eligibility

The district’s TK program shall admit children as follows:

For the 2021-22 school year, children whose fifth birthday is between September 2 through December 2
For the 2022-23 school year, children whose fifth birthday is between September 2 and February 2
For the 2023-24 school year, children whose fifth birthday is between September 2 and April 2
For the 2024-25 school year, children whose fifth birthday is between September 2 and June 2
For the 2025-26 school year, and in each school year thereafter, children who turn four by September 1

A child’s eligibility for TK enrollment shall not impact family eligibility for a preschool or childcare program.

Parents/guardians of eligible children shall be notified of the availability of the TK program and of the age, residency, immunization, and any other enrollment requirements. Enrollment in the TK program shall be voluntary.

Curriculum and Instruction

The district’s TK program shall be based on a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate.

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 knowledge and 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.

The Board shall establish 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 long except for TK students enrolled in expanded learning opportunity programs provided by the district pursuant to Education Code 46120. If the district has adopted an extended-day kindergarten, the length of the school day for the TK program may be different than the length of the school day for the kindergarten program either at the same or different school sites. The Superintendent or designee shall annually report to CDE as to whether the district’s TK programs are offered full day, part day, or both.

TK students may be commingled in the same classroom with four-year-old students from a CSPP program as long as the commingled program meets all of the requirements of each program as well as the following requirements:

The classroom does not include students enrolled in TK for a second year or students enrolled in a regular kindergarten
An early childhood environment rating scale, as specified in 5 CCR 18281, is completed for the classroom
All children enrolled for 10 or more hours per week are evaluated using the Desired Results Developmental Profile, as specified in 5 CCR 18272
The classroom is taught by a teacher that holds a credential issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing in accordance with Education Code 44065 and 44256
The classroom is in compliance with the adult-child ratio specified in Education Code 8241
Contractors of the district report the services, revenues, and expenditures for children in the preschool program in accordance with 5 CCR 18068 except for contractors of the TK program

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.

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, including, but not limited to, developing competencies in serving inclusive classrooms and dual language learners.

Continuation to Kindergarten

Students who complete the TK program shall be eligible to continue in kindergarten the following school year.

A student shall not attend more than two years in a combination of TK and kindergarten.