With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
California adds a new grade for 4-year-olds this fall — but parents still don’t know about it
This fall, California will make transitional kindergarten available for all 4-year-olds.
But fewer parents know about the program than they did just a few years ago, according to new surveys conducted by the Stanford Center on Early Childhood.
In 2021, California launched an ambitious plan to make transitional kindergarten (TK) available for all 4-year-olds by the 2025-26 school year, creating a brand new grade level. Since then, districts began accepting more 4-year-olds by expanding the birthday cutoffs each year.
A few years ago, surveys showed 83% of parents with children under 6 had heard about the program. But new surveys done this past winter show that number is down to 65%.
“ There was a lot more messaging about it when it was a brand new policy,” said Abigail Stewart-Kahn, managing director at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood.
She added that parents with children under 6 years old are a “decentralized market” that can be hard to reach — some parents have kids at home, while others have children at daycare or with families.
“There’s no first grade teacher to tell them about second grade,” she said. That’s why she said every new school year, there’s a need for “another big splashy set of messages.”
Want to learn more about TK?
- Read our guide to transitional kindergarten.
- Learn more about what it takes to build a TK classroom.
- Here's one reason there aren't more TK teachers.
- Here's why TK is a big choice for many parents.
- Get ready for a new school year.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
-
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.