California's new public preschool program for 4-year-olds: Exploring transitional kindergarten
Imperfect Paradise
LAist Studios
4.5 • 535 Ratings
🗓️ 14 November 2025
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
All four-year-olds in the state of California now have access to a free preschool program in their local school district. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a plan to expand the state’s transitional kindergarten, or TK, program in May 2021, as part of a broader move to create the largest free early education program in the U.S. So what does transitional kindergarten offer kids and what are the challenges in its implementation? In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, we break it down with the LAist education team: Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas, Senior K-12 Reporter Mariana Dale and Senior Early Childhood Reporter Elly Yu.
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Transcript
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| 0:34.1 | This is in Perfect Paradise. |
| 0:35.7 | I'm your host, Nereida Moreno, filling in for Antonia Ceregido. |
| 0:41.2 | Every four-year-old in California now has free access to transitional kindergarten or TK in their local school district. |
| 0:48.5 | That means families across the state have a new option, which could potentially save them thousands of dollars a year in child care. |
| 0:55.9 | It could also mean an influx of children into the public school system, which some elementary |
| 1:00.5 | schools may not be ready for. So why did California decide to expand preschool through public school |
| 1:07.5 | instead of through existing spaces? Have districts had enough time to get ready for this mandate? |
| 1:12.9 | And what should you know about this TK program, whether you're a parent or not? |
| 1:19.0 | Joining us now to break it all down is the LAist education team. |
| 1:23.6 | Higher education reporter Julia Barajas, senior K-12 reporter Mariana Dale, and senior early childhood reporter, Ellie U. |
| 1:31.9 | Hey, everyone. |
| 1:33.0 | Hi, Narita. |
| 1:33.6 | Hi. |
| 1:34.5 | So, Ellie, I'll start with you. |
| 1:36.4 | You've been covering pre-K education for a while now. |
... |
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