TK Frequently Asked Questions
What is Transitional Kindergarten?
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
Capistrano Unified School District began offering the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program in the fall of 2012, as an outcome of the SB1381 legislation or the Kindergarten Readiness Act 2010. Transitional Kindergarten is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program Currently, Transitional Kindergarten is offered only at select school sites throughout the District and not every campus, however TK will be offered at every school campus beginning in the 2023-24 School Year.
The age requirement for Transitional Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year is children who must turn 5 years of age between September 2, 2023 and April 2, 2024.
Children who turn 5 years old between June 1st and September 1st may apply for TK. According to current CUSD Board Policy (BP 6170.1(a)): Upon the request of a student's parents/guardians, the District may admit into the TK program a child whose fifth birthday is between June 1st and September 1st. Requests may be made by parents/guardians by submitting an Intent to Register in Transitional Kindergarten form. Requests will be considered only after TK numbers are confirmed for the coming school year.
Currently, the District will not admit a child whose fifth birthday falls after the TK-eligible window; for children who turns 5 years old after the TK eligibility window, enrollment in one of the Early Childhood Programs' preschool classes is currently recommended.
Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK)
Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK)![]()
Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK)
What is UTK?
In July 2021, Governor Newson signed AB 131, which adopts Universal TK by 2025-26. The following depicts a breakdown of the requirements for Districts to implement. The phase-in model begins in the 2022-23 school year with following age eligibility for children enrolling in Transitional Kindergarten:
- 2022-23: 5th birthday between September 2 - February 2
- 2023-24: 5th birthday between September 2 – April 2
- 2024-25: 5th birthday between September 2 – June 2
- 2025-26: 4th birthday by September 1st (UTK in place)
Required Average Ratio:
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- 1 adult: 12 students
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Class Sizes for TK:
Transitional Kindergarten class enrollment should not be more than 24 students for each TK classroom, 12 students per session.
Want more TK Information? Check out the video recording from our TK Informational Webinar, held on December 6, 2023.
Want more TK Information? Check out the video recording from our TK Informational Webinar, held on December 6, 2023. ![]()
Want more TK Information? Check out the video recording from our TK Informational Webinar, held on December 6, 2023.
TK Informational Webinar Recording (*If needed, password to view the recording is: ckK1eaJ@)