Offered across the state of California, transitional kindergarten (TK) is an exciting, new educational opportunity for children born in the fall. TK offers children developmentally appropriate curriculum aligned with kindergarten standards, taught by credentialed teachers from K-12. TK was created by a new California law called the Kindergarten Readiness Act.
The Kindergarten Readiness Act, signed into law by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2010, changed the kindergarten entry date from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1 so that children enter kindergarten at age 5. The law phases in the new age requirement by moving the cutoff date one month a year for three years, beginning this fall. Some districts are opting to fully phase in TK in the first year. The law also established transitional kindergarten, a developmentally appropriate grade to serve younger schoolchildren with birthdays between September and December.
The entry date change and the creation of TK address a longstanding need in California, as our children have historically started kindergarten at a younger age than kids in almost any other state – often without the maturity, social skills and early academic skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. At the same time, kindergarten today is far more academic than it once was; similar to what first grade used to be.
In a friendly classroom surroundings and small class size, our transitional kindergarteners are introduced to kindergarten level concepts at a slower pace in order to accommodate the assortment of learning style of each individual child.
Providing children with a well-rounded and carefully balanced curriculum, Transitional Kindergarten students will prepare academically and socially while enjoying the nurturing preschool atmosphere they have grown accustomed to.
Some of our Transitional Kindergarten Curriculum & Subject Matters are:
- Phonics
- Mathematics
- Language
- Art & Drama
- Science
- Cooking
- Computers
- Music
- Outdoor Play & Sports
- Field trips
- Printing