Dive Brief:
- A new report from the American Institutes for Research has concluded that California’s transitional kindergarten classes, where students who just miss the age cutoff for starting school can learn, are more developmentally appropriate when kept separate from traditional kindergarten classes.
- In its study of statewide implementation, AIR found the average class size is 20 students, all teachers have bachelor’s degrees and half have master’s, nearly two-thirds of programs are full-day, and three-quarters of classrooms have only transitional students in them.
- These standalone classroom teachers spend more time on social and emotional learning, music, art and social studies, instead of 67% of class time on math and literacy, like combination classroom teachers.
Dive Insight:
California’s transitional kindergarten program was phased in over three years after the state moved its cutoff for kindergarten enrollment. Before the change, students who turned five by Dec. 2 could enroll in kindergarten, and after, the birthday cutoff was Sept. 1. The transitional kindergarten students are the ones who turn five between Sept. 1 and Dec. 2.
While many schools are feeling the pressure to add more literacy and math instruction in kindergarten to prepare students for high-stakes testing later in elementary school, others are pushing back and reinforcing the need for developmentally appropriate play. When children have time to play, they learn important interpersonal skills, and research shows they do as well or better in reading and other intellectual skills later on anyway.