What exactly is the new age requirement for Kindergarten?
Senate Bill (SB) 1381 (Chapter 705, Statues of 2010) amended California Education Code (Section 46300, 48000, and 48010) to change the required birthday for admission to kindergarten and first grade and established a transitional kindergarten program beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. A child shall be admitted to a kindergarten maintained by the school district at the beginning of a school year, or at a later time in the same year if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before September 1(EC 48000[a]).
Must children attend transitional kindergarten or kindergarten?
Parents and guardians are currently not required to enroll children in transitional kindergarten or kindergarten (EC Section 48200).
How do I know which class is best for my child?
You know your child best, but some things to consider when choosing Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten:
On which end of the age spectrum do you want your child to be throughout their educational career? Do you want them to be one of the youngest children in class, which translates possibly graduating from high school at 17 years of age.
If your child has little to no pre-school or structured day-care experience, Transitional Kindergarten will help your child acclimate to a school setting.
Use the Kindergarten Readiness Questionnaire and recommendations made by the kindergarten teacher who screened your child to guide your decision.
Are the standards for Transitional Kindergarten the same as Kindergarten?
The standards are the same for Transitional Kindergarten as they are for Kindergarten. The difference is the rigor. TK students will be exposed to all Kindergarten standards, however, they will not be expected to master those standards as they will reach mastery the following year in Kindergarten.
What curriculum is used for Transitional Kindergarten?
A modified kindergarten curriculum is used as well as supplemental materials that are developmentally appropriate for the age of the students. This includes curriculum such as "Handwriting Without Tears."