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What is TK & Kindergarten?
Transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten (K) may be your child’s first-ever experience in a school setting – or it may be a time of transition, moving up from preschool to elementary school. Regardless, it’s an exciting and special milestone. Find out more about the difference between TK and K and what to expect for your child.
California public schools (and some non-public schools) offer Transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten as opportunities to help children develop school readiness skills. Although children aren’t required by law to attend TK and kindergarten (children 6 and up, however, are required to enroll in school), these programs give your child the experience of being in a school environment and learn beyond what you do at home. TK is available for kids whose fifth birthdays are between September 2nd and December 2nd of the school year. For example, if your child turns 5 on October 5th, then he or she is eligible to enroll in a TK class at your local public school. Since TK students are younger in age, these programs are designed using age-appropriate curriculum for younger children.
Children who attend and complete TK then move on to kindergarten the following year. So, a child with a birthday within the TK range will have two years of kindergarten experience before going to first grade. School districts vary in how and where they offer TK classes, so be sure to ask your local district about what options are available in your area.
Kindergarten is available to children whose fifth birthdays are on or before September 1st of the school year. Kindergarten curriculum is designed to meet the needs and teach children who are in this age range. Because of this, the kindergarten curriculum is somewhat more challenging and academic than the TK curriculum. Kindergarten is typically offered at every local public elementary school. And after completing kindergarten, your child will go on to first grade.
Children who turn five after December 2nd of the school year will have to wait to enroll in kindergarten the following school year. It’s an ideal time for these children to have an extra year of preschool to prepare for kindergarten.
Check out our Public Schools page to find out more about how to find a public school that’s right for your child.
Click here to search for your local public school:
https://www.greatschools.org/school-district-boundaries-map/
https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/
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FAQs
One of the fundamental differences between TK and Kindergarten lies in eligibility criteria. While Kindergarten typically admits children who turn five by a specific date, TK accommodates children who miss the Kindergarten age cutoff but will turn five during the academic year.
Who is eligible for TK in California? ›
A Kindergarten Continuance Form is not needed for children who are age-eligible for TK. A child is eligible for TK if they have their fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 (inclusive) and each school year thereafter (EC 48000[c]).
What does TK mean in age? ›
Transitional kindergarten (TK) is a universally accessible and free program for age-eligible four-year-old children (to be available at no-cost to all four-year-old children by the 2025-26 school year) and parents may choose to enroll their children in a TK program or any other prekindergarten program for which the ...
What does TK stand for in schools? ›
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is part of the K-12 public school system and is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate.
Can kids go from TK to 1st grade? ›
Children who attend and complete TK then move on to kindergarten the following year. So, a child with a birthday within the TK range will have two years of kindergarten experience before going to first grade.
Should I put my child in TK? ›
While TK programs may offer certain advantages like helping a child excel at math and literacy when starting kindergarten – catching up typically isn't an issue, as most children who have not participated in TK reach the same level as those who did by the end of their first year.
Can a 4 year old start kindergarten in California? ›
No. Pursuant to EC 48000(a), a child is eligible for kindergarten if the child will have his or her fifth birthday by September 1.
How many hours a day is TK in California? ›
If the student is enrolled in a TK classroom (even if not yet counted for Average Daily Attendance [ADA]), the student should be scheduled for a minimum of 180 minutes per school day and offered the same number of annual instructional minutes offered other TK/Kindergarten students enrolled at the same school site.
Is TK attendance mandatory in California? ›
While schools must offer a Transitional Kindergarten program for all children eligible to attend, student enrollment is voluntary though strongly encouraged. It is a free public school program.
Who is eligible for TK in California in 2024? ›
Who can attend Transitional Kindergarten? With the rollout of California's Universal TK, children who turn 5 from September 2, 2024 through June 2, 2025 are eligible to enroll in TK for the 2024-25 school year.
Preschool and Pre-K. Unlike preschool and pre-kindergarten, transitional kindergarten is part of the public school system. While families can enroll any 4-year-old child in pre-K, transitional kindergarten is currently available to children who are 4 but will turn 5 between September 2 and February 2 the following year ...
What is the point of TK? ›
Overall, Transitional Kindergarten is a program that has benefited countless children since its start. TK provides children with the gift of time, an early introduction to the typical school setting, and the opportunity to receive convenient high-quality education.
What are the requirements for TK in California? ›
Beginning in the 2022 school year, TK classes must have a 12:1 student to adult ratio, with a maximum average of 24 children in the classroom at each school site. One of the two adults in the classroom must be a fully certificated TK teacher.
Can a child go to kindergarten not potty trained in California? ›
The California Department of Education requires districts to admit all eligible students, regardless of if they're potty-trained or not, but leaves it up to districts on how to best address the needs of those students.
Is kindergarten full day in California? ›
California has traditionally offered half-day kindergarten classes, lagging behind an increasing national trend toward full-day classes. Full-day and half-day classes are defined in terms of the number of instructional hours spent in the classroom, not the total number of hours at school.
Is transitional kindergarten good or bad? ›
TK gives students an advantage at kindergarten entry on a range of literacy and mathematics skills. TK students were also rated as more engaged by their teachers, compared to their peers. TK is effective for all groups of students who participated.
What does TK stand for? ›
"To come" is a printing and journalism reference, commonly abbreviated to "TK". The abbreviation is used to mark where additional material will be added to a manuscript before publication. It is used without periods.
