AB-22 Transitional Kindergarten Amendment

There have been significant modifications to AB-22 Transitional kindergarten: enrollment: funding: planning workgroups.

According to AB-22, the universal transitional kindergarten program will be gradually phased in over the next five years:

• In the 2022–23 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and February 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district. 
• In the 2023–24 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and April 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district.
• In the 2024–25 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and June 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district.
• In the 2025–26 school year, and in each school year thereafter, a child who will have their fourth birthday by September 1 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district.

Modifications to Transitional Kindergarten - Assembly Bill 22

Below are a few excerpts from the bill that will directly affect registration/enrollment and teacher: student ratio. You can read the entire bill which was finalized on August 16, 2021

SEC. 3. Section 48000 of the Education Code is amended to read:

48000. (a) A child shall be admitted to a kindergarten maintained by the school district at the beginning of a school year, or at a later time in the same year if the child will have their fifth birthday on or before one of the following dates:

(C) From the 2014–15 school year to the 2021–22 school year, inclusive, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district or charter school.

(D) In the 2022–23 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and February 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district or charter school.
 
(E) In the 2023–24 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and April 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district or charter school.

(F) In the 2024–25 school year, a child who will have their fifth birthday between September 2 and June 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district or charter school.

(G) In the 2025–26 school year, and in each school year thereafter, a child who will have their fourth birthday by September 1 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district or charter school.

(2) (A) In any school year, a school district or charter school may, at any time during a school year, admit a child to a transitional kindergarten program who will have their fifth birthday after the date specified for the applicable year in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, of paragraph (1) but during that same school year, with the approval of the parent or guardian, subject to the following conditions:

(i) The governing board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school determines that the admittance is in the best interests of the child.

(ii) The parent or guardian is given information regarding the advantages and disadvantages and any other explanatory information about the effect of this early admittance.

(B) Notwithstanding any other law, a pupil admitted to a transitional kindergarten program pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall not generate average daily attendance for purposes of Section 46300, or be included in the enrollment or unduplicated pupil count pursuant to Section 42238.02, until the pupil has attained the pupil’s fifth birthday, regardless of when the pupil was admitted during the school year.

(d) For purposes of this section, “transitional kindergarten” means the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate.

(e) A transitional kindergarten shall not be construed as a new program or higher level of service.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that transitional kindergarten curriculum is aligned to the California Preschool Learning Foundations developed by the department.

(g) As a condition of receipt of apportionment for pupils in a transitional kindergarten program pursuant to Sections 42238.026 and 46300, a school district or charter school shall do all of the following:

(1) Maintain an average transitional kindergarten class enrollment of not more than 24 pupils for each school site.

(2) Commencing with the 2022–23 school year, maintain an average of at least one adult for every 12 pupils for transitional kindergarten classrooms.

(3) Commencing with the 2023–24 school year, and for each year thereafter, maintain an average of at least one adult for every 10 pupils for transitional kindergarten classrooms, contingent upon an appropriation of funds for this purpose.

(4) Ensure that credentialed teachers who are first assigned to a transitional kindergarten classroom after July 1, 2015, have, by August 1, 2023, one of the following:

(A) At least 24 units in early childhood education, or childhood development, or both.

(B) As determined by the local educational agency employing the teacher, professional experience in a classroom setting with preschool-age children is comparable to the 24 units of education described in subparagraph (A).

(C) A child development teacher permit issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.