Education Kindergarten

Transitional kindergarten in California — without state help

In summary

The state mandates transitional kindergarten, but isn’t paying the tab for a small portion of wealthy school districts. Some are balking.

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In a major shift for early education, California is expanding its transitional kindergarten program to eventually include all 4-year-olds. While most districts will receive additional dollars for the expansion, 15% will not — and are facing tough budget choices as they comply with the new fall mandate.

Some of those districts — among the most affluent in California — say they are stretching existing budgets to create classrooms, moving money around

Education Kindergarten

Brookline Kindergarten Teachers Criticize Curriculum Shifts

Kindergarten teachers in Brookline are criticizing recent changes in the classroom, saying they’re making kids increasingly anxious and losing joy in learning, and may be working against the district’s equity goals.

“It is now common to hear their little voices announce to us, ‘I don’t know how to read,’ ‘I hate reading,’ ‘I hate school,’ ‘I am not good at anything.’ This is our greatest concern,” reads a letter signed by a group of 19 current and two former teachers from seven of Brookline’s eight elementary schools. They plan to present the letter to the school committee Thursday night.

Teachers