New kindergarten age requirement starts taking effect | Education

CARMICHAEL, CA - Traditional kindergarten is making way for transitional kindergarten, or TK as it's known.

The Kindergarten Preparedness Act, signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2010, changed the enrollment age for kindergarten. A child now must be 5 years old by Nov. 1 this fall when entering kindergarten. Under the old requirement, Dec. 2 was the cutoff date.

Each year, the cutoff date moves up by one month until the year 2015. By then, all children must meet the age requirement by Sept. 1.

Transitional kindergarten was developed to cover those  younger students who don't meet the age requirements.

Students who fall under the following guidelines are eligible for TK:

For the 2012-13 school year November 2 and December 2 For the 2013-14 school year October 2 and December 2 For the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter September 2 and December 2.

TK is intended to bridge the gap between pre-school and kindergarten. 

Under the Kindergarten Readiness Act, school districts are required to offer TK programs.

The San Juan Unified School District will offer TK at five different schools within the district.

Elk Grove Unified and Sacramento Unified School Districts will also offer five transitional kindergarten locations.