BP 6170.1 — TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

Instruction BP 6170.1(a)

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

The Board of Education desires to offer a high-quality Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
program for eligible children who do not yet meet the minimum age criterion for
kindergarten. The TK program shall assist students in developing the academic, social, and
emotional skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

The District’s TK program shall be the first year of a two-year kindergarten program.
(Education Code 48000)

The Board encourages ongoing collaboration among District preschool staff, other
preschool providers, elementary teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians in the
development, implementation, and evaluation of the District’s TK program.

(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

Eligibility

The District’s TK program shall admit students as follows (Education Code 48000):

1. For the 2021/2022 school year, students whose fifth birthday is between September 2
through December 2

2. For the 2022/2023 school year, students whose fifth birthday is between September 2
and February 2

3. For the 2023/2024 school year, students whose fifth birthday is between September 2
and April 2

4. For the 2024/2025 school year, students whose fifth birthday is between September 2
and June 2

5. For the 2025/2026 school year, and in each school year thereafter, students who turn
four by September 1

Parents/guardians of eligible children shall be notified of the availability of the TK programand
age, residency, immunization, and any other enrollment requirements. Enrollmentin the TK
program shall be voluntary.

(cf. 5111 - Admission)
(cf. 5111.1 - District Residency)
(cf. 5141.22 - Infectious Diseases)
(cf. 5141.3 - Health Examinations)
(cf. 5141.31 - Immunizations)
(cf. 5141.32 - Child Health and Disability Prevention Program)
 BP 6170.1(b)
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (cont.)

Upon request of a child’s parents/guardians, the District may, on a case-by-case basis after
the Superintendent or designee determines that it is in the child’s best interest, admitinto the
District’s TK program a child whose fifth birthday is on or before September 1 and who
is therefore eligible for kindergarten.

Curriculum and Instruction

The District’s TK program shall be based on a modified kindergarten curriculum that isage
and developmentally appropriate. (Education Code 48000)

(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development Implementation and Evaluation)
(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)

The program shall be aligned with the preschool learning foundations and preschool
curriculum frameworks developed by the California Department of Education. It shall be
designed to facilitate students’ development in essential skills related to language and
literacy, mathematics, physical development, health, visual and performing arts, science,
history-social science, English language development, and social-emotional development.

(cf. 5148.3 - Preschool/Early Childhood Education)
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
(cf. 6174 - Education for English Language Learners)

TK students may be placed in the same classrooms as kindergarten students when
necessary, provided that the instructional program is differentiated to meet student needs.

Staffing

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the teachers assigned to teach in TK
classes possess a teaching credential or permit from the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CTC) that authorizes such instruction.

(cf. 4112.2 - Certification - All Personnel)

A credentialed teacher who is first assigned to a TK class after July 1, 2015, shall, by
August 1, 2020, have at least 24 units in early childhood education and/or child
development, comparable experience in a preschool setting, and/or a child development
teacher permit issued by the CTC. (Education Code 48000)

The Superintendent or designee may provide professional development as needed to
ensure that TK teachers are knowledgeable about the District standards and effective
instructional methods for teaching young children.

(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
 BP 6170.1(c)
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (cont.)

Continuation to Kindergarten

Students who complete the TK program shall be eligible to continue in kindergarten the
following school year. Parents/guardians of such students shall not be required to submita
signed Kindergarten Continuance Form for kindergarten attendance.

However, whenever children who would otherwise be age-eligible for kindergarten are
enrolled in TK, the Superintendent or designee shall obtain a Kindergarten Continuance
Form signed by the parent/guardian near the end of the TK year consenting to the child’s
enrollment in kindergarten the following year.

A student shall not attend more than two years in a combination of TK and kindergarten.
(Education Code 46300)

(cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)

Assessment

The Superintendent or designee may develop or identify appropriate formal and/or informal
assessments of TK students’ development and progress. He/she shall monitor and regularly
report to the Board regarding program implementation and the progress of students in
meeting related academic standards.

(cf. 0500 - Review and Evaluation)
(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)

Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
8235 California State Preschool Program
8973 Extended-day kindergarten
37202 School calendar; equivalency of instructional minutes
44258.9 Assignment monitoring by county superintendent of schools
46111 Kindergarten, hours of attendance
46114-46119 Minimum school day, kindergarten
46300 Computation of ADA, inclusion of kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
48000 Age of admission, kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
48002 Evidence of minimum age required to enter kindergarten or first grade
48003 Kindergarten annual report
48200 Compulsory education, starting at age six

Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS
What Boards of Education Can Do About Kindergarten Readiness, Governance Brief, May 2016
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Transitional Kindergarten FAQs
Desired Results Developmental Profile, 2015
Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Guide: A Resource for California Public School District
Administrators and Teachers, 2013
California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Vol. 3, 2013
 BP 6170.1(d)
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (cont.)
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 3, 2012
California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Vol. 2, 2011
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 2, 2010
California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Vol. 1, 2010
California Preschool Learning Foundations, Vol. 1, 2008
WEBSITES
California School Boards Association: www.csba.org
California Department of Education: www.cde.ca.gov
California Kindergarten Association: www.ckanet.org
Commission on Teacher Credentialing: www.ctc.ca.gov
Transitional Kindergarten California: www.tkcalifornia.org

Chino Valley Unified School District
Policy adopted: February 16, 2012
Revised: September 3, 2015
Revised: May 2, 2019
Revised: February 17, 2022