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Gehlen and Spalding schools explore possibility of unification | 09.21.2012

Catholic Globe
“The number of children in a family is decreasing and young families are generally moving to larger cities,” said the Gehlen School Board president. “We are working to grow enrollment through several means, as well as adding new or expanding programs such as preschool and transitional kindergarten. By attracting and retaining more students, we are striving to decrease the per pupil cost.” more

Transitional kindergarten debuts at 42 schools | 09.20.2012

The Tidings Online
“Parents were saying, ‘This is something we were looking for,’” said Dr. Ken Foersch, principal at St. Andrew, where the TK students have their own classroom next to the kindergarten classroom on the ground floor of the two-story school in Pasadena. “This has been big.” more

Op-ed: Why early learning is critical for kindergarteners | 09.17.2012

Seattle Times
Regardless of the paths that led them there, to 5-year-olds, kindergarten is a very big deal. As adults, however, we recognize that early learning is a continuum, and kindergarten is just the midpoint. This makes it both a hugely important year, and one that must be well-linked to the five years that precede it, and to first, second and third grades that follow. more

Public Schools Required to Offer New Grade Level | 09.17.2012

keyt.com
Administrators believe the program is priceless. Experts agree. more

Cutoff date for kindergarten moving to Sept. 1 next fall | 09.16.2012

Napa Valley Register
The Napa Valley Unified School District is speeding up the implementation of a state mandate to create “transitional kindergartens.” more

Far-reaching plan to strengthen teaching in California | 09.13.2012

EdSource Today
To reinvigorate its force of teachers and principals, California doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. It could start by fixing the one that’s bent and broken because of years of neglect. That’s one of the messages from Greatness by Design, an extensive report from Superintendent Tom Torlakson’s 48-member Task Force on Educator Excellence, cochaired by Stanford University education professor Linda Darling-Hammond and Long Beach Unified superintendent Christopher Steinhauser. more

Study on Low-Income ELL Students Shows Benefits of Bilingualism: Better Self-Control | 09.13.2012

New American Foundation
In a forthcoming article in Psychological Science, researchers looked specifically at the effects of bilingualism on low-income children and found that previous finding about the bilingual brain does apply to students from low-income families. The study was led by Pascale Pascale Engel de Abreu of the University of Luxembourg and colleagues. more

New test measures local kindergartners' abilities | 09.11.2012

Times-Standard
Kaup said the assessment was prompted by a new statewide transitional kindergarten program -- a post-preschool, pre-kindergarten extra year of free public education -- as well as by a growing demand for data on early education. Data on the educational growth of children in each of the county's 32 school districts has not previously been collected until the third grade, when children take the statewide STAR test. more

Transitional Kindergarten Applications Due Wednesday | 09.11.2012

Watsonville Patch
Transitional Kindergarten starts Oct. 15 for all students who turn 5 between Nov. 2 and Dec. 2. Applications are due Wednesday. more

It's back to school for some Roseville students | 09.11.2012

The Press Tribune
Campuses in the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District began the new school year Wednesday. Some of the schools introduced transitional kindergarten classes, which serve children who aren't quite ready for kindergarten. Transitional kindergarten emphasizes social, emotional and motor skill development, and focuses less on academics. more

Democratic Convention Includes Mentions of Early Childhood and K-12 Education | 09.10.2012

New American Foundation
Though jobs and the economy dominated the stage at the Democratic party’s convention this week in Charlotte, NC, early childhood education and K-12 schools were not left out entirely. more

Program lets younger children transitional into kindergarten | 09.10.2012

Daily Republic
Fairview Elementary Principal Dave Marianno said there is a huge difference between children with late birthdays and early ones. The 10 months between a January birthday and an October birthday, he said, is a significant portion of their life. more

Students start new school year in Brea | 09.10.2012

The Orange County Register
Also new for the Brea district is the transitional kindergarten classes at Country Hills and Arovista elementary schools offering early education options for younger children. more

Editorial: A better start for 'young 5s' | 09.07.2012

San Francisco Chronicle
California's new "transitional kindergarten" program, which is proving highly popular with parents and educators, almost did not happen. Gov. Jerry Brown's 2012-13 budget would have diverted the $223 million to other programs. Fortunately, legislators stood their ground, and the state is moving forward with plans to gradually shift the cutoff date for kindergarten from December to Sept. 1. more

Early childhood educators head back to school | 09.06.2012

Lake County Record-Bee
While nearly 10,000 children in grades kindergarten through 12 head back to school in Lake County this month, hundreds of early childhood educators are gearing up to prepare Lake County's younger students for future school success. more