TK Eligibility in California Chart by DOB

Did you know that Transitional Kindergarten (TK) eligibility in California has changed - and is still changing?

For some families, the idea of a child entering the school system "a year early" can feel daunting. For others, it’s a huge relief: an additional year of school at no cost. With the passage of California’s TK for All legislation, TK is now available to all 4-year-olds—making Transitional Kindergarten synonymous with what many families think of as universal preschool.

Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, every child who turns 4 by September 1 will be eligible for TK in California public schools.

What is TK?

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) was a product of the Kindergarten Readiness Act in 2010 that provided TK to children turning 5 during the grey area of September 2 – December 2. Up until then, 4 year olds were able to enroll in Kindergarten if they turned 5 as late as December 2.

When I was getting my Masters degree in Education, I was teaching in a Kindergarten class in 2009. We had a handful of 4 year olds at the beginning of the year, which exposed a big development gap between the students who were already 5. Some Kindergarteners were a whole year younger than others. We ended up holding back at least 2 of those 4 year olds to repeat an additional year of Kindergarten. The Kindergarten Readiness Act was a great placeholder solution for this issue.

My 4 year old, and future TKer, was able to tour a TK classroom during his school’s Open House. He’s nervous and starting to feel sad about leaving his preschool, but also can’t wait to be at the same school as his big brother.

California’s TK for All Rollout (Why It’s Confusing)

To prepare schools statewide - facilities, staffing, curriculum - California rolled out universal TK gradually. Instead of opening eligibility all at once, the birthday cutoff expanded by two months each year beginning in the 2022–2023 school year.

Here’s the official eligibility language from the California Department of Education (and yes, it’s confusing):

• In 2022–23, TK students are eligible if they turn 5 years old between September 2 and February 2

• In 2023–24, TK students are eligible if they turn 5 between September 2 and April 2

• In 2024–25, TK students are eligible if they turn 5 between September 2 and June 2

• In 2025–26, School districts (LEAs) are required to make TK available to all children who will have their fourth birthday by September 1 of the school year.

…if you’re staring into space, imagining a school year calendar, trying to figure out when your child turns 4, or is it 5?, by a certain date or within a certain window… you’re not alone. Is there a calculator for this? After sharing these four bullets with other parents, I had to write it down myself in a more comprehensible way.

Below is a chart showing eligibility for TK and Kindergarten, based on your child’s date of birth.

TK & Kindergarten Eligibility Chart by DOB for California

*Eligibility is based on California Department of Education guidance and may vary slightly by district. Families should confirm enrollment details with their local school district.

Should I enroll my child in TK?

Being in the education world, when I found out our due date was in December, I immediately thought, “YES! The baby will be able to do TK!” This meant, a year of “free preschool”. But, our baby #2 ended up being born on December 31, 2017, missing the former eligibility cutoff by 29 days. Four years later, I started talking to our school district about assessing my son and allowing him to enroll early. Saving money didn’t end up being the driving factor, he was just ready. He knew his alphabet, letter sounds, letter recognition, could spell and write his name, count, and do simple addition. He was also mature and had an insane ability to focus. Turns out, I didn’t even need to start the process of enrolling him in with an exception. Because of TK for All, the extended rollout dates made him eligible for enrollment.

Some parents might prefer keeping their child in a preschool program for a multitude of reasons. Although publicly funded, TK and even Kindergarten are all OPTIONAL in California. If your child is eligible or will become eligible in the few years, consider touring your assigned school’s TK classroom and ask about their curriculum and daily routines.

Prepping for TK

Some parents might be stressed about their children entering the school system, wondering if their child is ready, or if they are ready themselves. The best thing to do to help prepare your child for TK is to continue to provide consistency in their lives, read books out loud to them, and ensure they are having enough adult interaction throughout their day. Remember that children are resilient, curious, and so much stronger than we sometimes give them credit for. Below are some books and activities we recommend incorporating into your child’s play or story time to help with the transition:

• Interlocking unit cubes for sorting, building, and strengthening fine motor muscles

• Letter BINGO to promote letter recognition, taking turns, and listening to instructions

• Guess in 10 for critical thinking skills, providing a space for children to practice asking questions

• Preschool workbook to guide parents and children in talking about topics they will learn in TK

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