1 Dec 2015
Brief

The Impact of Transitional Kindergarten on Kindergarten Readiness

A Report From the Study of California’s Transitional Kindergarten Program: Executive Summary

Transitional kindergarten—the first year of a two-year kindergarten program for California children born between September 2 and December 2—is intended to betterKindergarten students prepare young five-year-olds for kindergarten and ensure a strong start to their educational career. The goal of this study was to measure the success of the program by determining the impact of transitional kindergarten on students’ readiness for kindergarten in several areas. AIR researchers compared language, literacy, mathematics, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills at kindergarten entry for students who attended transitional kindergarten and for those who did not.

This brief outlines the results of the study, Impact of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program, 2013-14, and suggests next steps for further research.

Related Projects

Mar 2014
Project

Study of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program

With the 2012-2013 school year, California established a new grade level called Transitional Kindergarten (TK), the first year of a two-year kindergarten experience for students who turn five between September 2 and December 2. When fully implemented, TK is intended to provide an additional year of early education for these children, with the goal of promoting their success in school. The Heising-Simons Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation are partnering with AIR to study the impact of TK on children’s academic and social-emotional skills in kindergarten, and how these impacts are related to program quality characteristics.

Related Work

1 Dec 2015
Report

Impact of California's Transitional Kindergarten Program, 2013-14

Transitional kindergarten—the first year of a two-year kindergarten program for California children born between September 2 and December 2—is intended to better prepare young five-year-olds for kindergarten and ensure a strong start to their educational career. AIR researchers examined the success of the program by determining the impact of transitional kindergarten on students’ readiness for kindergarten in language, literacy, mathematics, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills.
Topic: 
Reading and Literacy, P-12 Education and Social Development, Mathematics Education
1 Dec 2015
News Release

Transitional Kindergarten Students Have Edge in Math and Literacy, New AIR Study Finds

California students who had attended Transitional Kindergarten were more advanced than their peers in language, literacy, mathematics and executive function, early results of a study by AIR show. The differences amount to as much as a five-month head start in kindergarten. Transitional Kindergarten grew out of California’s Kindergarten Readiness Act, passed in 2010. Historically, the state required children to be 5 by Dec. 2 to enroll for kindergarten. When the new law moved the cut-off to Sept. 1, Transitional Kindergarten was created to serve those who turned 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2.

Further Reading