Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Breakout Sessions
The Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Summit breakout sessions provided educators a chance to share their most innovative new materials and promising practices with a focus on transitional kindergarten implementation; family outreach and engagement; curriculum; and standards and assessments.
The summit spotlighted the latest information on transitional kindergarten. Highlights include:
- The Transitional Kindergarten Planning Guide, provided by California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, made its debut as an implementation resource for school districts across the state.
- Panelists discussed research-based curricular models that consider brain development and Dual Language Learner language acquisition.
- WestEd and the California Department of Education presented groundbreaking new work on the alignment of the Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core Standards in language literacy and mathematics.
All videos and materials from the breakout sessions can be found below.
Session A: Transitional Kindergarten Implementation 101 (Click here for materials.)
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The California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) has produced a guide for transitional kindergarten (TK) programs that is intended to serve as a resource for California school districts. Join this session to hear an overview of this implementation guide and how to begin to plan for a TK program; implement effective instruction, curriculum and assessments; and to hear about additional resources available for your district
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Moderator: Joyce Wright, Ed.D., Assistant
Superintendent, Instructional Support Services, Sacramento County Office of
Education
Panelists: Kathy Thompson, Assistant Superintendent, Early Childhood Services, Shasta County Office of Education
Wilma Hashimoto, Coordinator, Child Care & Development Planning Council, Fresno County Office of Education
Natalie Woods Andrews, Ed.D., Director, School Readiness, Sacramento County Office of Education
David Swart, Superintendent, Rescue Union School District
Nancy Herota, Director, California Preschool Informational Network, School Readiness Department, Sacramento County Office of Education
Session B: Family Outreach and Engagement (Click here for materials.)
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Because transitional kindergarten is a voluntary option for families, successful implementation of TK depends on having an effective communications strategy in place to inform parents about the benefits of the program and address questions about the change in law. Join this session to hear from experts on how to best outreach to, inform and engage parents as supporters for TK. |
Moderator: Adonai Mack, Legislative Advocate, Association of California School Administrators
Panelists: Ernesto Saldaña, State Field Director, Preschool California
Ruth Yoon, Early Childhood Education Administrator, Los Angeles Unified School District
Melissa Vernon, Transitional Kindergarten Classroom Parent Volunteer, Antonio Del Buono Elementary School, Gilroy Unified School District
Session C: Curriculum (Click here for materials.)
| Surveys of district administrators and teachers suggest a need for support in identifying curricular models designed for young 5 year olds. In 2011-12, several school districts began implementing TK early, including Los Angeles Unified School District, Kingsburg Unified School District and Soquel Unified School District. These districts are also implementing groundbreaking work and designing curricular models based on the latest brain development research that highlights how Dual Language Learners most effectively acquire language. Join this session to hear from experts from these districts on their best practice models. |
Moderator: Janet Lopez, Senior Policy Analyst, Preschool California
Panelists: Janis Shinmei, Program Coordinator, Los Angeles Unified School District
Susan True, Executive Director, First 5 Santa Cruz County
Shirley Esau, Principal, Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District
Session D: Standards and Assessments (Click here for materials.)
| Join this session to hear from experts on the alignment and bridging of the Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core State Standards. In addition, hear about the development of the Desired Results Developmental Profile-School Readiness assessment tool, and other assessment tools that districts can use to help better inform instruction in TK classrooms |
Moderator: Camille Maben, Director, Child Development Division, California Department of Education
Panelists: Peter Mangione, Co-Director, WestEd Center for Child & Family Studies
Nora Armenta, Executive Director of Early Care and Education, Los Angeles Unified School District
Osnat Zur, Senior Program Associate, WestEd Center for Child & Family Studies
This is a historic opportunity to lay the foundation for proficiency in the early elementary years and help our state build a more seamless education system for children from birth to age 8. Transitional kindergarten: Let's go!
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