Save Kindergarten

Gov. Brown’s most recent budget proposal includes a change to the kindergarten entry date and could deny up to 125,000 children the right to kindergarten. Under this proposal, the Administration would allow districts who choose to offer TK to collect full Average Daily Attendance funding for those children who are no longer eligible for kindergarten.

However, the proposal may still deny those children the right to kindergarten, which they had before. In districts that choose not to offer TK, children may be displaced and denied their right to public education.

This is inherently unequal, because children in one school district may have access to transitional kindergarten, while identically situated kids just one district over may not. If low-income children are denied TK, this will create a serious inequity and would widen the achievement gap.  Cutting kindergarten is a lose-lose-lose for California’s children, parents, teachers and schools.

Map of the latest
school district TK plans.

Assembly map of the number
of students per Assembly district
who could lose their right to K.

Senate map of the number
of students per Senate district
who could lose their right to K.

Long Beach TK Family Rally

TK in LA & Fresno - New America Media

Telemundo Segment on TK

District Attorney Nancy O'Malley:
TK is a stepping stone to success,
reduces crime & costs.

LA Chamber of Commerce Sr. VP David Rattray: Business leaders see the benefits of TK.

KQED California Report: Budget Cuts Threaten TK, which addresses academic, physical, social, emotional needs.

 Click above to see what California's leaders are saying about the devastating impact that kicking children out of kindergarten would have.

“While the trailer bill proposal would give districts the option whether or not they want to implement transitional kindergarten, displacing these students from kindergarten is still bad for kids, bad for families and bad for schools - whether it's the state or a local district that denies access."

– The Honorable Joe Simitian, State Senator, State of California

Small school districts reject Gov. Brown's proposal to eliminate transitional kindergarten and remain excited for full implementation. Click to see why.

"We call on the Governor and the California Legislature to swiftly reject this proposal and restore the clarity that our more than 500 district members need to move forward with full implementation of transitional kindergarten and best serve our students."

– David Walrath, Legislative Advocate, Small School Districts' Association

 Read what educators in the field think about the far-reaching benefits of transitional kindergarten.

“TK has been proven to be valuable to the school districts in lowering retention, special ed placement, and we predict dropout rates will go down.”

– Cathy Wietstock, Administrator, Orange County Department of Education

 
Parents have had a firsthand look at the developmental advantages that transitional kindergarten offers their children. Click above for their stories.

“Not only does my daughter love going...she is able to have an academically, socially and emotionally fostering experience that will help her not only succeed, but excel in kindergarten next year.”

– Caitlyn Otterstorm, mother of a Morgan Hill Unified School District child [Morgan Hill Times]