Promoting the well-being and success of every child and family
P-3 Alignment: Prekindergarten to 3rd Grade
An estimated 90% of brain growth happens before kindergarten. That’s one reason why the state is providing support to expand transitional kindergarten to include all 4-year-olds and strengthen the program coherence between prekindergarten to 3rd grade, known as P-3 alignment.
The San Diego County Office of Education is helping local educational agencies provide high-quality prekindergarten (pre-K) by connecting them with information on current transitional kindergarten programs, the latest details on universal transitional kindergarten, and best practices that align curricula, assessment, and professional learning for P-3 alignment. The California Department of Education’s P-3 alignment efforts step from a belief that gaps in opportunities and learning outcomes require system-level reform to address biases and disrupt inequities.
Educators and families of students who are English learners and multilingual learners play an important role in setting up all young people for success. All children in California have a constitutional right to high-quality education.
More to Explore
- Professional Learning Opportunities
- About Universal Transitional Kindergarten
- P-3 English Language Development Resources
- Educator and Family P-3 Multilingual Resources
- P-3 Newsletter Archive
Professional Learning Opportunities
Jan. 12, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Sept. 13, 2023
- Dec. 6, 2023
- Feb. 14, 2024
- May 8, 2024
March 7 and 8, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Jan. 22, 2024
- Jan. 29, 2024
- Feb. 5, 2024
About Universal Transitional Kindergarten
Transitional kindergarten (TK) refers to the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum which is developmentally- and age-appropriate. Universal transitional kindergarten is a TK program available to all 4-year-old children statewide at no cost to families. Universal prekindergarten refers to the continuum of high-quality programs, including TK, state preschool, Head Start, general childcare, and community-based early learning and care providers, that can be layered and wrapped to create rich, early-learning opportunities for all children during the year before kindergarten, regardless of income.
Universal Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Timeline
2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
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Student Phase-In |
Turn 5 between Sept. 2 - Dec. 2 | 5th birthday between Sept. 2 - Feb. 2 | 5th birthday between Sept. 2 - April 2 | 5th birthday between Sept. 2 - June 2 | 4th birthday by Sept. 1 |
General Resources
- California Department of Education (CDE) Transitional Kindergarten webpage – A collection of resources and links (e.g., FAQs, TK and K eligibility/ admissions, early admission to TK, amendments, etc.).
- Transitional Kindergarten FAQs (CDE) – FAQs regarding California state law relating to kindergarten
- TK California (Early Edge Organization) – Information and resources
District Implementation
- Transitional Kindergarten Implementation Guide (CCSESA, 2015) - Resources and guidance for administrators and teachers in the areas of program design, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and family / community partnerships
- Parent Engagement Toolkit (PDF)
- TK Parent Brochure Template – District may customize to their program specifics
- TK and the California Content Standards and Frameworks
TK Teacher Support
- Teacher Requirements (CDE FAQs): Information on the credentialing and additional requirements for TK teachers
- Online Professional Learning Modules: CDE and the Sacramento County Office of Education have developed free TK online Professional Learning Modules to support teachers and administrators. Participants may also obtain continuing learning credit. The modules and courses are free, but there is a cost for obtaining continuing education units if desired.
P-3 English Language Development Resources
Students in preschool and transitional kindergarten must receive English language development, which is, both designated and integrated, in accordance with the local educational agency’s determined time.
The California Department of Education states that designated English language development is required as part of the regular school day, but there are no set minimum minutes for that instruction. Find detailed answers to these topics and more at the CDE Distance Learning ELD FAQs webpage.
Additional informational
- Universal Prekindergarten Resources for Dual Language Classrooms and Students who are English Learners
- TK-1 ELA/ELD Implementation Support
- Improving Education for Multilingual and English Learner Students Chapter
- EL UPK Planning and Implementation Guidance #1 Language Development
- EL UPK Planning and Implementation Guidance #2 Language Development
- Californian’s Together ELD Video Series Guidance for Teachers TK-5th Series
- Sobrato Early Academic Language: SEAL is a powerful English Learner-focused approach to education rooted at the intersection of research and educational equity
Educator and Family P-3 Multilingual Resources
For Educators
- TK-6th Grade Welcoming and Affirming Community Toolkit: Resources to support prioritizing the nurturing of students’ and educators’ social emotional well-being to support academic progress.
- Multilingual California Project (MCaP) Digital Academies: Free statewide asynchronous digital Canvas Academies in the areas of biliteracy and English learner support for UPK-3rd grade teachers, para-educators and administrators.
- Multilingual Learning Toolkit: Online hub for research-based key principles, instructional strategies, and associated, free, practical, and easy-to-use resources that are geared towards educators who teach pre-K-3rd multilingual learners.
For Families
- Ways to Develop Your Child’s Multilingualism - Spanish (PDF)
- Keeping Your Home Language available in 16 languages (PDF)
- The Importance of Home Language Series (available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and other languages)
P-3 Newsletter Archive
P-3 Articles/Blog/News
Universal Prekindergarten and the California English Learner Roadmap
High-quality pre-K experiences have a profound impact on children’s brain development and key school readiness skills. Yet historically underserved students, such as multilingual children and children with disabilities, have had the fewest opportunities to access effective early education. By providing access to high-quality early education programs and services, we can ensure every child has what they need to succeed before they even enter kindergarten.
The California English Learner Roadmap: Strengthening Comprehensive Educational Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners (link to CDE page) can be used in conjunction with the UPK focus area. The English Learner Roadmap sets a common direction for LEAs in the planning and implementation of early education programs for English learners.
The four principles and companion resources provide a crosswalk between the UPK focus areas and the English Learner Roadmap principles. Additionally, each includes support for LEAs in their planning, implementing, and evaluation of P-3 programs.
Principle 1
Assets oriented and needs responsive
Focus Area A - Vision and Coherence
- Integrating Universal PreKindergarten within District Local Control Accountability Plans
- Supporting Access and Enrollment Equity in Universal PreKindergarten
Focus Area B - Community Engagement and Partnerships
- California State Preschool Program - Information for Parents
- Head Start - Information for Parents
- Guidance on County Office of Education Support for Universal PreKindergarten Planning and Implementation
- Partner Deep Dives
- Supporting Universal PreKindergarten through Community Schools
Focus Area D - P-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Universal Prekindergarten Curriculum and Assessment Selection
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Language Models and Supporting Dual Language Learners
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Supporting Children with Disabilities
- Supporting Social and Emotional Learning and Development
Resources
Source: Californians Together EL Roadmap Teacher Toolkit
The 2014 ELA/ELD Framework supports and incorporates the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy) and the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards). The Framework has several examples that align with Principle One in Snapshots and Figures:
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Open Circle - Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) For use in kindergarten through fifth grade, this resource is designed to equip teachers with effective practices for creating a cooperative classroom community and establishing positive relationships and effective approaches to problem solving within the classroom. The program has, on average, 34 structured lessons each year that cover relationship building and communication skills, understanding and managing emotions, and problem solving. The Open Circle program also has a separate unit on bullying, as well as separate components to support school-wide implementation and family involvement. The program provides frequent suggestions and reminders for teachers regarding cultural sensitivity and ethnic norms. |
Project2Inspire- California Association for Bilingual Education CABE’s Parent and Family Engagement Program is focused on working with CABE’s partners from school districts and county offices to provide parents with the best opportunities and resources to help their children succeed in school. To achieve this goal, CABE’s Parent and Family Engagement Program:
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Colorín Colorado is the premier national bilingual website serving parents and teachers of English learners (ELs) in Grades PreK-12. Over the past decade, Colorín Colorado has established itself as a trusted leader in addressing the urgent challenge of helping ELs around the country succeed. |
Support for Immigrant and Refugee Students In light of the increasingly hostile climate toward immigrants and the insecurity caused by the changing policy landscape, Californians Together developed a multi-pronged approach toward creating a safe learning environment for students of all backgrounds. The following resources were developed in collaboration with Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL).
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The Newcomer ToolKit - US Department of Education This tool kit is designed to help U.S. educators and others who work directly with immigrant students—including asylees and refugees—and their families. It is designed to help elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff achieve the following:
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My Name, My Identity- A Declaration of Self This campaign is a partnership between the National Association for Bilingual Education and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The objectives of the initiative are to bring awareness to the importance of respecting student’s names and identity in schools as measured by the number of community members making a pledge to pronounce students’ names correctly and to build a respectful and caring culture in school communities that values diversity as measured by my name stories posted on social media. |
Alas y Voz Social Media Campaign A social media campaign to raise awareness among parents of English learners about the importance and benefits of bilingualism. The website and videos posted on YouTube share videos, graphics, and stories on social media with effective messaging about biliteracy and bilingual programs. An online toolkit has resources for educators to use with parents. |
This resource provides a systematic framework for evaluating the quality of classroom-based SEL programs. It uses this framework to rate and identify well-designed, evidence-based SEL programs with the potential for broad dissemination to schools across the United States. The primary goal of the Guide is to give educators information for selecting and implementing SEL programs in their districts and schools. It also documents the significant advances the SEL field has made in the past decade, establishes new and more rigorous standards for SEL program adoption, and provides suggestions for next steps for SEL research and practice. |
Culturally Responsive/Relevant Teaching and Learning Resources Compiled by the Hayward Unified School District, this website lists numerous resources, including bibliographies of culturally relevant literature for students to support culturally responsive and relevant teaching and learning. |
Principle 2
Intellectual quality of instruction and meaningful access
Focus Area A - Vision and Coherence
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Integrating Universal Prekindergarten Within District Local Control Accountability Plans
Focus Area B - Community Engagement and Partnerships
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Supporting Universal Prekindergarten Through Community Schools
Focus Area D - P-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Universal Prekindergarten Curriculum and Assessment Selection
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment – Language Models and Supporting Dual Language Learners
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Supporting Children with Disabilities
- Supporting Social and Emotional Learning and Development
- Early Math - Math Matters
Resources
Source: Californians Together EL Roadmap Teacher Toolkit
The 2014 ELA/ELD Framework supports and incorporates the California standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy) and the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards). Classroom teachers of all grades and disciplines will find descriptions of grade-level ELA/literacy and ELD instruction across the content areas and examples of engaging teaching and assessment practices for ensuring the progress of the diverse students they serve. Language integrated in and through content is a major theme of the ELA/ELD Framework. The Framework serves as a key resource for the implementation of the EL Roadmap, Principle #2, especially the grade- level chapters and vignettes. |
History/Social Science Framework for California, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2016. The 2016 History/Social Science Framework describes grade-level content, areas of focus, and examples of engaging classroom activities and assessments practices that meet the needs of the diverse students they serve The framework offers guidance for educators as they design, implement, and maintain a course of study to teach content, develop inquiry-based critical thinking skills, improve reading comprehension and expository writing ability, and promote an engaged and knowledgeable citizenry in history/social sciences. The HSS Framework also supports interdisciplinary instruction and implementation of the California Common Core State Standards, the California English Language Development Standards (and the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework. |
Presents a strategy for building complex sentences and understanding the structure of language in a Kindergarten bilingual classroom. |
Cross Language Connections in the Classroom Illustrates cross-language connections and metalinguistic awareness in the dual language brain utilizing various strategies in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade. |
Integrated and Designated ELD: Kindergarten Illustrates Integrated ELD and small group Designated ELD building upon thematic “Push and Pull” science content in an English-taught Kindergarten. |
California English Language Development Standards (especially Chapter 5) (PDF) The CA ELD Standards describe the key knowledge, skills, and abilities that EL students need to access, engage with, and achieve in grade-level academic content. They amplify the California State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/ Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (ELA/ Literacy). The CA ELD Standards support English Learners to use English purposefully, to use language to interact meaningfully in school and beyond, and to be knowledgeable about English and utilize language as a resource for communicating and learning. Of particular importance, Chapter 5 highlights how English works. |
Integrating the CA ELD Standards into K–12 Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (DOC) A Supplementary Resource for Educators Implementing in tandem the California English Language Development Standards, the California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards for California Public Schools. |
Sobrato Early Academic Language Model SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) is a professional development and instructional model that builds the capacity of preschools and elementary schools to powerfully develop the language and literacy skills of English learner children within the context of integrated, standards-based, and joyful learning. They have created and make available a library of videos of research-based practices and instructional strategies (listed at the end of this “Illustrative Resources and Connections” section. |
As a model of professional learning, the Orange County Department of Education National Training Center (NTC) for the Project GLAD® (Guided Language Acquisition Design) model, is dedicated to building academic language and literacy for all students, especially English learner/emergent bilingual students. The model enhances teachers’ design and delivery of standards- based instruction through an integrated approach with the intent of building language proficiency and academic comprehension. Project GLAD® classrooms promote an environment that respects and honors each child’s voice, personal life experience, beliefs, and values their culture. |
Be GLAD®, is a national organization providing professional development on the Guided Language Acquisition Design model to states, districts, and schools promoting language acquisition, high academic achievement, and 21st-century skills. Teachers are trained to modify the delivery of student instruction to promote academic language and literacy. The professional development offered focuses on improved pedagogy with consistent instructional routines while creating a school environment responsive to diversity with an inclusive learning environment. Be GLAD® helps to establish a project-based, student- centered curriculum process that is inquiry driven. |
Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education – Third Edition Center for Applied Linguistics, Dual Language Education of New Mexico, and Santillana USA Designed for educators, researchers, policymakers, and all who are interested in effective dual language education, the new edition of this widely-used resource includes enhancements to the principles reflecting learning from research and practice, updated literature reviews, and revised templates for program self- evaluation. |
Leading with Learning Systemically Transforming Teaching for English Learners Leading with Learning is a system for ensuring that culturally and linguistically diverse Learners experience effective teaching and learning and attain high academic achievement. It includes interrelated and aligned courses for teachers, instructional coaches, principals, district facilitators, and district leadership teams. The main goal is to ensure that all students experience academically rich, culturally sustaining, and positive teaching and learning daily to improve their academic, language, and literacy learning outcomes throughout the year. Leading with Learning is a three-year process, with the first two years consisting of intensive support from WestEd staff. The third year of the partnership is focused on sustaining and scaling the work. |
The California ELD Standards Companion, Grades K-2 and 3-5 Ivannia Soto, Linda Carstens, Jim Burke, Corwin Press, Nov 27, 2018 A teaching resource that helps teachers make the critical link between the ELD Standards and the CCSS ELA Standards |
Scaffolding Language Scaffolding Language by Pauline Gibbons This resource helps teachers ensure that their English learners become full members of the school community with the language and content skills they need for success. Gibbons shows how the teaching of language can be integrated seamlessly with the teaching of content and how academic achievement can be boosted. Rich examples of classroom discourse illustrate exactly how the scaffolding process works, while activities to facilitate conversation and higher-level thinking put the latest research on second language learning into action. |
English Learners, Academic Literacy and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone by Pauline Gibbons In English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking, Pauline Gibbons presents an action-oriented approach that gives English learners high-level support to match our high expectations. Focusing on the upper elementary and middle grades of school, she shows how to plan rigorous, literacy-oriented, content-based instruction and illustrates what a high-challenge, high-support curriculum looks like in practice. |
English Language Learners Day by Day, K-6, by Christina M. Celic Highlights what best practices look like on a day-to-day basis, starting day one, by drawing on a rich blend of research findings and classroom experiences. |
Dual Language Learner Resource Guide First 5 California’s Dual Language Learner Resource Guide was designed to provide early learning programs that serve young dual language learners (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers). The resources highlight evidence-based strategies to improve the quality of instructional practices and interactions with young dual language learners, including partnering with families in this effort. |
A series of videos for supporting language-intentional teaching in elementary grades, Integrated and Designated ELD and dual-language practices, and cross- language connections is available through SEAL. The videos are made available for use in professional learning and to support the field in meeting the needs of English learners. |
Principle 3
System conditions that support effectiveness
Focus Area A - Vision and Coherence
- Integrating Universal Prekindergarten within District Local Control Accountability Plans
- Leadership Structure: Positions to Support Universal Prekindergarten Implementation
Focus Area B - Community Engagement and Partnerships
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Supporting Universal Prekindergarten Through Community Schools
Focus Areas C - Workforce Recruitment and Professional Learning
- Universal Prekindergarten Workforce Requirements: Credentials
- Workforce Development Funding Opportunities
- Best Practices and Resources for Recruitment
- Best Practices for In-Service Preparation
- Research on Benefits of Joint Professional Learning
- Professional Learning for Leaders and Principals
- Professional Learning on Observational Assessments
Focus Area D - P-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Universal Prekindergarten Curriculum and Assessment Selection
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment – Language Models and Supporting Dual Language Learners
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Supporting Children with Disabilities
Focus Area E - Local Educational Agency Facilities, Services, and Operations
- Funding Sources That Can Be Utilized for Facilities
- Transportation
- Supervision of Young Children
- Implementing Universal Meals in Universal PreKindergarten
Principle 4
Alignment and articulation within and across systems
Focus Area A - Vision and Coherence
- Integrating Universal Prekindergarten within District Local Control Accountability Plans
- Leadership Structure: Positions to Support Universal Prekindergarten Implementation
- Supporting Access and Enrollment Equity in Universal Prekindergarten
Focus Area B - Community Engagement and Partnerships
- California State Preschool Program - Information for Parents
- Head Start - Information for Parents
- Guidance on County Office of Education Support for Universal PreKindergarten Planning and Implementation
- Partner Deep Dives
- Supporting Universal PreKindergarten through Community Schools
Focus Area D - P-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Universal Prekindergarten Curriculum and Assessment Selection
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment – Language Models and Supporting Dual Language Learners
- Prekindergarten through 3rd Grade Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Supporting Children with Disabilities
- Supporting Social and Emotional Learning and Development
Focus Area E - Local Educational Agency Facilities, Services, and Operations
- Funding Sources That Can Be Utilized for Facilities
- Transportation
- Supervision of Young Children
- Implementing Universal Meals in Universal PreKindergarten
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