Oakland, CA — In response to the California Department of Education’s release of annual enrollment data from the state’s TK-12 schools in the 2023-24 school year, Natalie Wheatfall-Lum, J.D., Director of TK-12 Policy at EdTrust-West, issued the following statement about the implementation of its universal transitional kindergarten policy:

Today, we are celebrating data showing that since last school year, there are over 30,000 more four-year-olds across the state—including children of color and multilingual learners—wrapping up a year of growth, learning through play, and exploration in transitional kindergarten (TK) programs.

All racial groups showed substantial enrollment gains this school year, indicating that the promise of universal TK access is on its way.

Yet the impact of expanded access is only as good as the quality of TK provided. As we have for years, EdTrust-West remains committed to monitoring and advocating for TK programs that provide their young learners with developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically affirming, and well-staffed learning experiences. This need is especially urgent for Latinx children, who make up over half of children participating in TK, and Black children, for whom there is still significant opportunity to increase participation.

Our state’s leaders can ensure that TK is a high-quality experience for children and families by ensuring play-based, developmentally appropriate instruction and curricula; more support for low staffing ratios; and incentives for training and recruiting a culturally and linguistically diverse TK workforce—and districts should leverage these incentives with children of color, multilingual children, and their families in mind. In addition, districts must do more, with state support, to make Black families feel welcome in TK classrooms.

We believe implementing universal transitional kindergarten is currently one of the most important educational equity opportunities for California. If matched with quality, enrollment gains like these indicate that with equitable implementation, TK is truly becoming an option available to all.