More TK students coming to Santa Barbara Unified School District campuses as result of extended age eligibility
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- California is extending its birthday eligibility for transitional kindergarten (TK) students, and here in Santa Barbara this means that the numbers of kids on campus will increase next fall.
The birth date for those eligible for TK has changed from December to February, and Santa Barbara Unified School District is offering free education for 4-year-olds who just missed the kindergarten cut-off.
“The excitement and energy in a TK classroom, it’s similar to kindergarten but they’re just so genuinely excited about every experience and every opportunity,” said Kelly Fresch, Adams Elementary Principal.
"Lots and lots of movement and motion, there’s lots of sing along and lots of choral response and lots of repetition.”
Starting next fall, California is moving up the age requirement.
Kids now have to turn five by December.
After that, age eligibility will move up by two months every year.
Providing an opportunity for kids to get a better start in school, TK fills the gap between preschool and kindergarten. It is the first of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate, according to SBUSD spokesman Nick Masuda.
These condensed classes also offer an intimate 12-to-1 educator to student ratio.
"Success for college and career starts in early education,” said Ana Escobedo, SBUSD Assistant Superintendent. “In a class of 20 students, you would have two adults versus just one adult.”
With help from state funds, SBUSD will now offer TK classes at every elementary school, "to lessen the financial burden on parents but also to give more students a leg up before they actually start kindergarten,” Fresch said.
TK enrollment for the fall is now underway at all of the district’s school sites.
Click here for more information about the TK program at SBUSD schools.
Click here for information on how to enroll children in TK.
Watch tonight on News Channel 3-12 and KKFX Fox 11 News.
