SAN DIEGO – Universal transitional kindergarten or TKs as they are known in English is increasing in California.
The state that pioneered the program is making a big investment in free early childhood education. Universal “TK” is considered a bridge between preschool and kindergarten.
The free universal public program is seen as a way for more families to have access to early childhood education.
Now, the universal program is impacting some private early childhood education centers.
“We’re going through a lot of changes with the introduction of public TK, which I fully support and love, but it poses a challenge for a company,” said Scripps Exploring Academy Director Christine Collins.
With the rise of free education, parents who prefer a private early childhood education option may have a harder time finding one in the future.
“Families are going to have less need for us to provide education to our older students, it’s like kindergarten. Kindergarten used to be voluntary and now everyone goes, that’s automatic,” Collins said.
The impact is already being felt.
“For example, before the launch of universal TK, I would have two classes of 48 kids getting ready for kindergarten and then a couple years ago I was 36 and then last year I was 24 and this year I’m 24,” Collins said. .
There is a constant shortage of teachers in all the country. Many teachers have left the private workforce to work at Universal TK, exacerbating the teacher shortage.
Some early childhood education centers are accepting younger children to ease the financial hit on parents transitioning to universal public pre-K.
“I predict that within a few years, a decade, at least, all 4-year-olds will go ahead and enter the free program,” Collins said.
2023-09-12 19:41:54
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