Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is expanding!

Announcement Details

Posted on
Grade Level
Early Education

Announcement Message

What is changing?

Starting with the 2022-23 school year,  all school districts in California, including SFUSD, will be required by state law to expand their Transitional Kindergarten (TK) classrooms until all 4 year olds are eligible for TK by 2025-26. SFUSD will phase in this expansion over the next four years in alignment with state law. Please see the below chart for the eligibility by school year:

*Mobile users: Please scroll to see the rest of the table.

2021-22 School Year

2022-23 School Year

2023-24 School Year

2024-25 School Year    

2025-26 School Year

Current TK eligibility:

Student turns 5 between 9/2-12/2

TK eligibility:

Student turns 5 between 9/2- 2/2

TK eligibility:

Student turns 5 between 9/2-4/2

TK eligibility:

Student turns 5 between 9/2-6/2

TK eligibility:

Student turns 5 between 9/2-9/1

What is Transitional Kindergarten?

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) bridges the preschool and Kindergarten years.  Taught by a multiple-subject credentialed teacher, TK is part of a two-year Kindergarten program that offers a modified curriculum which is based on the CA Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. This grade level provides children time to build necessary social, developmental, and academic skills for Kindergarten success and beyond. 

At the time of application, eligible students will be placed in Transitional Kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year, then they will need to reapply the following year in order to continue into Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year.

Is Transitional Kindergarten mandatory?

No, even if a child is TK eligible, parents have a choice of whether they want to enroll their child in TK or preschool. 

How do I apply?

The application and enrollment process for Transitional Kindergarten is the same as for Kindergarten. Families who are interested in Transitional Kindergarten should complete a General TK-12 Enrollment Application form. Submit the form and supporting documents to the Educational Placement Center.

For the school year 2022-23, the deadline to submit is February 4, 2022.

Application forms and instructions can be found at sfusd.edu/apply or at 555 Franklin Street, Room 100; San Francisco, CA 94102.

What if I have already applied for TK for 2022-23?

You can submit a new online application or submit an application revision form. Both forms are available at sfusd.edu/onlineapp or 555 Franklin Street, Room 100; San Francisco, CA 94102. 

Which schools have Transitional Kindergarten?

Currently, Transitional Kindergarten is offered at the following SFUSD Early Education Schools (EES) and Elementary Schools (ES). Later this fall, SFUSD will be adding new TK school sites to accommodate the additional students who are eligible for TK. Information about new TK sites will be shared publicly when it’s available.  Families interested in visiting Transitional Kindergarten classrooms should contact the sites directly to schedule a virtual tour. 

Who can I contact for more questions? 

Please contact the SFUSD Educational Placement Center at (415) 241-6085 or the Early Education Department at (415) 379-2700 with any additional questions.

You can also refer to our new Transitional Kindergarten webpage with more frequently asked questions about TK at sfusd.edu/tk

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