California Teacher Shortage and its Impact on TK and Bilingual Programs

Based on KQED.

California's push for universal transitional kindergarten (TK) and stronger bilingual education is facing a major challenge. There are a growing number of TK classrooms opening up across the state, however, districts do not have enough teachers. Schools are struggling to hire fully credentialed teachers and bilingual staff. Why does this matter? Well, from what we know about development at that age, these classrooms will require more adults per student compared to other grades. Research has shown that bilingual children benefit the most from TK. Unfortunately, schools are falling short on staff and communities with dual-language learners are impacted the most.

At Wawita's Place we value all educators and we understand the struggle that schools face today. As a child care provider topics like these deeply matter to us. We've witnessed firsthand how powerful it is for children to grow up bilingual. As our own kids moved through school, being able to speak more than one language gave them tools to connect with others, explore different cultures, and better understand themselves. These skills don’t just help in the classroom, they shape how they navigate the world.

We’re hopeful about the future of California’s new TK program and excited to see how it evolves to uplift more children and strengthen our early education system. In the meantime, as bilingual and fully credentialed providers, we’ll continue doing what we love: nurturing little minds through language, care, and connection.