Universal TK in California - What Is It?

Based on The Washington Post.

California is rolling out a universal transitional kindergarten (TK) program. Why should this matter to you as a parent? The program aims to offer every 4 year old access to free, high-quality early education starting in 2025-26. The main intention behind the initiative of the program is to give all children a strong head start, especially for those who did not have access to preschool. Unfortunately it seems that these efforts have faced a couple roadblocks along the way, one being, schools lacking staff, training, and facilities to properly support these children. With the lack of a unified curriculum, the program has led parents to look for after-school programs to help with the uncertainty around the effectiveness and survival of this new program.

As a licensed child care provider in California, I see both the excitement and concerns. The TK program would highly benefit many families, however without careful planning, it risks overlooking the specific developmental needs of 4 year-olds. At Wawita's Place, we thrive to provide pre kindergarten age children an atmosphere that promotes school readiness and social-emotional skill development. Children at this age range thrive the best in play-based environments which is something we specialize in at our day care.  

Although the new public program is exciting and could potentially benefit many families in CA, it is important to remember that there is not shortcut to quality care for young children. Our hope is that this new public program will eventually align more closely with what early childhood experts already know: quality care for young children starts with connection, intentional play, and support that reflects their readiness — not just their age.