Glendora Unified Readies Transitional Kindergartens

Despite Gov. Jerry Brown cutting funding for the law-mandated transitional kindergarten program, Glendora Unified is preparing to launch two programs this fall aimed at getting students ready for kindergarten.

Under the 2010 Kindergarten Readiness Act, children entering kindergarten must turn 5 years old on or before Nov. 1. Next year, the cutoff birth date will be Oct. 1, and the following year in 2014, the start date will be Sept. 1.

Previously, California was one of four states to have the cutoff birth date at Dec. 1 or later for students entering kindergarten, however California also has one of the most rigorous kindergarten standards.

“We often have very young four year olds with the expectation that they would meet the same California standards,” said Michelle Hunter, assistant superintendent of educational services.

Hunter said school districts are required to provide transitional curriculum for students born between Sept. 1 and November to help them better adapt to kindergarten curriculum.

Despite the transitional kindergarten program getting dropped from the governor’s proposed budget,  Hunter said all signs point to the governor ultimately funding the program.

“The governor is getting a great deal of pressure from many organizations to fund [transitional kindergarten] because it was specifically articulated as a mandate and that it was not appropriate for him to not fund the [transitional kindergarten] budget,” said Hunter. “At this point it looks more likely than not that we’ll be funded.”

Hunter said transitional kindergarten supporters are seeking loopholes and waiver language to keep the program going.

A transitional kindergarten program will focus more on developmental curriculum and introducing students to kindergarten curriculum without the expectation that the student will master the content.

“This provides the youngest kindergartener the readiness that is developmentally appropriate and better prepare them so that when they get into the kindergarten program and they are ready to really tackle those kindergarten standards,” said Hunter.

This year, a pilot program was conducted at Cullen Elementary School with 24 students. The program was a rousing success, said Hunter.

The program will continue at Cullen Elementary School, with a second location established at Stanton Elementary for the 2012-2013 school year.

The program earned support from school board members during Monday’s school board meeting.

“What we’re doing is creating a foundation,” said School Board Member Doug Ferrell.  “These kids have to have building blocks because what we’re going to have are kids in the second or third grade with no basis and they find themselves lost.”