Preschool or Transitional kindergarten
by Calla Trofatter, PreK Teacher
Beginning in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, free transitional kindergarten programs (TK) will be accessible to every 4 year old in California. All families must now make the decision between TK – essentially a second year of kindergarten – and another year of preschool. While there is some overlap between the function of a TK class at an elementary school and a PreK class at a play-based preschool, there are significant differences in philosophy and learning environment that parents should be aware of as they choose what is best for their child and their family.
“…there are significant differences in philosophy and learning environment that parents should be aware of as they choose what is best for their child and their family. “
What is TK?
According to a descriptive brief published by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in 2016, “The majority of TK classrooms were full-day, standalone classrooms (enrolling only TK students), with an average of 20 students. Overall, TK students spent nearly a third of their time in whole-group instruction, and the majority of instruction was didactic in nature, in which teachers provide information to students in a less interactive way. Scaffolding strategies were used less than a quarter of the class time, on average.” Most TK classes are held in classrooms on an elementary school campus, and some share instruction and physical space with a kindergarten classroom. TK classrooms in the 2025-2026 school year will have an adult:student ratio of 1:10, with one certificated teacher per 24 students.
TK teachers in California provide a modified Kindergarten curriculum aligned with both Common Core State Standards and the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations. However, individual districts, schools, and teachers have some flexibility around what their modifications can look like, and as a result TK classrooms vary widely from school to school. It can be very helpful to contact your local school district to request more information and schedule a tour of their specific TK program to find out if it’s a good fit for your child.
What is PreK at CCNS?
You can also schedule a tour at CCNS and make direct comparisons to your neighborhood TK classroom as you research your decision. We want you to make the choice that is right for your child and your family! Please click here to contact us with questions and to schedule your tour. Read on to discover the specific benefits of attending the PreK class in the CCNS community, and how we prepare children to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.
“The CCNS philosophy centers teachers and families working together to set long-term goals for the development and success of children as complete humans rather than just as students. “
A whole-child lens
The CCNS philosophy centers teachers and families working together to set long-term goals for the development and success of children as complete humans rather than just as students. We understand that everyone learns best when they feel safe and loved. Our teachers strive to build positive, trusting relationships with children and their families, which both models and fosters an abundance of practical life skills that are essential prerequisites for future knowledge-based learning. Proficiency with these “soft skills” (such as emotional regulation, active listening, curiosity, empathy, creativity, and flexibility) is strongly positively associated with a variety of measures of academic, professional, and personal success. The ability to think critically, adapt to new challenges, and notice connections between concepts is the foundation of academic learning.
A collaborative community of co-learners
It is not just children who are learning at CCNS! A core tenet of our philosophy as a co-operative school is that all of our community members benefit from the specific abilities, talents, cultures, attitudes, perspectives, and contributions of all of our community members (including children, parents, family members, and teachers). Engaging in respectful conflict resolution and seeking common ground from different points of view is how we can solve problems sustainably and create new ways of thinking. We all learn more effectively when everyone values tolerance, respect, and inclusion.
“…all of our community members benefit from the specific abilities, talents, cultures, attitudes, perspectives, and contributions of all of our community members.”
These principles are especially relevant in the PreK classroom due to the developmental readiness of 4 and 5 year olds to move away from observational and parallel play. As children begin to explore social play, they make (normal but undesirable) mistakes: play that excludes others (both accidentally and deliberately), rigid thinking about who can be whose friend or not, play focused on directing the play choices of others, and other kinds of relational aggression. Parents and teachers must come together to understand and support the underlying needs that children are trying to meet with these kinds of challenging behaviors, which requires mutual respect, honest introspection, and ongoing personal growth.
A connected classroom experience
It follows from such a strong sense of community that the relationships we build within the CCNS community enhance every aspect of the school experience for children and families. Because at least one adult from each family is required and fully trained to work at least one day per week as a co-teacher in the classroom, CCNS families benefit from a direct and hands-on awareness of their child’s experiences at school while also developing connections with all the other children and families in their class. Every day parents and teachers co-observe children at play and share their interpretations of the growth and learning they see from their perspective. The PreK class dedicates a block of time at the beginning of each class for the lead teacher and work parents to connect with each other and voice their observations and concerns. We use this time to touch base about anything that will be helpful to know that day, discuss adaptations to materials and activities according to children’s current interests and needs, and unite around plans for supporting any specific challenging behaviors.
The parent education component of our school is another opportunity for families to strengthen relationships and stay in the know. Once a month we gather as a school or as smaller class groups to engage with a topic relevant to our children. We discuss parenting strategies, learn about child development, share challenges and victories, and explore resources that support our continued growth as stewards of our children’s education.
“The PreK class dedicates a block of time at the beginning of each class for the lead teacher and work parents to connect with each other and voice their observations and concerns. “
A supportive adult:child ratio
An adult:child ratio of 1:3 supports PreK children in their learning by surrounding them with an appropriate number of caring and trusted adults. This allows careful and responsive supervision, which promotes both physical and emotional safety in a way that is simply not possible with a higher adult:child ratio.
A learning environment designed for little bodies
“…our entire program to provide every child with complete independence to choose between inside and outside exploration during the school day. “
The learning environment plays a crucial role in a child’s educational experience. A classroom (including both its indoor and outdoor spaces) is often referred to as a child’s “third teacher”, equal in importance to teachers and parents. When the physical aspects of an early education classroom are intentionally designed with a focus on young learner’s needs and interests, students will benefit from a sense of autonomy and ownership that is hugely empowering as they begin to form their self-concept. At CCNS, we have structured our entire program to provide every child with complete independence to choose between inside and outside exploration during the school day. Allowing children the freedom to direct their own activities and play within their environment supports authentic and meaningful learning experiences, along with a sense of competence, belonging, and security. The CCNS classroom space also provides children with free access to an appropriately sized bathroom at all times, which builds children’s confidence and independence as they develop this foundational self-care skill.
But will my child be “prepared” for kindergarten after a year of PreK at CCNS?
As early educators, a concern we often encounter in conversation with parents of 4 and 5 year olds is that they don’t want their child to “fall behind”. The common question on their minds is “What if my child is ready for more X at school?” More structure, more time, more activities, more rigor, more instruction… These are important questions and considerations, which is why we at CCNS have been discussing and researching how our philosophy can address this topic for over 70 years.
“PreK students at CCNS do receive daily instruction in and exposure to all the skills and tools necessary for success in kindergarten…”
PreK students at CCNS do receive daily instruction in and exposure to all the skills and tools necessary for success in kindergarten, such as using scissors, recognizing symbols and patterns, writing with pencils, identifying phonemes etc… But categorizing early learning approaches as either "academic" or "play-based" creates a false dichotomy. Decades of research have repeatedly demonstrated that children learn because they play – even in academic domains like numeracy and literacy. A child who draws and cuts out a red octagon with scissors because they want to make a stop sign so they can join an ongoing made-up game of Speed Limit with their peers on the bike path is learning more effectively than a child who draws and cuts out a red octagon with scissors because it’s time to complete a worksheet at the math center with instructions to do so.
“Decades of research have repeatedly demonstrated that children learn because they play – even in academic domains like numeracy and literacy.”
We can also examine current evidence from policy evaluations of TK to confirm that early preparation for kindergarten is not necessarily helpful or effective in the long run. The final impact report published by AIR in 2017 compared longitudinal outcomes for children who attended TK and children who attended any other non-TK structured learning environment (like a play-based PreK program). TK students in this study entered kindergarten with significantly higher test scores in literacy and math skills compared to non-TK students. However, these short-term gains disappeared by the end of the kindergarten school year as non-TK students caught up. Furthermore, attending TK conferred no measurable benefits to measures of social skills or executive functioning compared to attending any other quality, non-TK early education program. Another longitudinal study conducted by the Public Policy Institute for California in 2023 demonstrated an even longer term outcome that “TK does not appear to improve grade 3 and 4 test scores more than other pre-kindergarten options”.
Making the Decision
There are so many options to consider as your child begins their educational journey, and it can feel overwhelming. Luckily, choosing the right school is a very personal decision, and you are the expert on your child! Take a moment to reflect on your child’s strengths, interests, personality, and specific needs, and bring this awareness to different schools as you visit them. To make the most informed choice – do your research, ask questions, and trust your instincts!
Click the button below to schedule a tour of CCNS, and see the benefits of a play-based PreK classroom for yourself.
