TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

All 4-Year-Olds Become Eligible For TK By 2025

To meet the early education needs of young children and their families, California has implemented a statewide initiative that expands Transitional Kindergarten (TK) to include younger children.

TK is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program, which is part of California’s K-12 public school system. As part of the expansion, the new initiative will phase in California’s four-year-olds, starting in 2022-23 and will reach full implementation by 2025-26.

MCOE’s Educational Services Department partners with MCOE Early Education and Merced County TK-8 grade school districts to ensure that equitable access to early education programs are available to all Merced County families. MCOE also provides professional development for teachers new to this age range.

By 2025-26, all four-year-old children can attend Transitional Kindergarten at no cost, regardless of income. For children to be eligible for TK, they must turn four by the time frames listed on the chart. Students must meet the same kindergarten immunizations requirements prior to the first day of TK.

There are 5,810 licensed child care slots in Merced County and 34,176 students ages 1 to 12 with parents in the workforce. There is availability for only 17%, if all of these children needed licensed child care.

EARLY EDUCATION SITES

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTNER ELIGIBILITY

School Year Turns 5 Between

39 19 22

100 90

SMALL LIC ENS E FAMILY CHILD CARE

2022-23 Sept. 2 – Feb. 2

2023-24 Sept. 2 – April 2

LARGE LICENSE FAMILY CHILD CARE

STATE PRESCHOOLS HEAD START PRIVATE CENTERS

2024-25 Sept. 2 – June 2

2025-26 Turns 4 by Sept. 1