Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) – what is it & how does it compare to preschool?
Families at Aspen Leaf often ask us to explain what “UTK” is. Most have heard the term and know it’s a program for four-year-olds, but often aren’t sure who provides it, whether their child is eligible, or how to apply. Families also often have questions about how UTK differs from preschool in general or Aspen Leaf in particular, and which one would be best for their child. Here we’re explain what UTK is, and how it differs from preschool and Aspen Leaf.
Kindergarten & TK – the relevant history
First, as background, California public schools have long required children to be five years old by September 1st in order to enroll in Kindergarten for that school year. So a child born September 2nd would have to wait until they were just about to turn six to enroll in Kindergarten.
For several years, California public schools offered Transitional-Kindergarten (“TK”) for children who turned five between September 2nd and December 2nd. Children born on or after December 3rd were not able to enroll in TK, and would have to wait until Kindergarten to attend public school.
The actual experience of TK varied widely depending on the specific elementary school. At some elementary schools, TK had its own classroom, own teacher, and own curriculum that was tailored to the younger age-group. At many other schools, TK students were simply inserted into the Kindergarten class and treated no different than the Kindergarteners. At other schools, the experience was somewhere in between.
What is UTK (Universal Transitional Kindergarten)?
For many years, advocates and some elected officials have worked to add Pre-K (Pre-Kindergarten) to all public schools, so that families would be able to send their children to public school starting at age four. As explained above, such a program has existed, but it was only for four-year-olds who turned five between September 1st and December 2nd.
In 2021, California passed a law that expanded TK to make it available for all four-year-olds (not just those who turned five by December 2nd). While this program is essentially the “Universal Pre-K” that advocates and officials long spoke about, the state confusingly continued with the “Transitional Kindergarten” moniker, thus establishing “Universal Transitional Kindergarten.”
The stated goal for UTK is for UTK classes to be smaller than Kindergarten classes, with greater emphasis on social and emotional development and play. UTK classes are expected to be around 24 students or less, and are supposed to have student-to-teacher ratios of about 1-to-12. Advocates hope UTK will be more similar to a good preschool program than to the normal Kindergarten experience.
Who provides UTK?
“Universal Transitional Kindergarten” is only offered at public schools. For that reason, there is no cost or tuition to attend UTK. Previously, TK was not offered at all elementary schools, but UTK is intended to be offered at all or nearly all elementary schools by the 2025-2026 school year. Many school districts are ahead of this deadline and have already rolled out a UTK program.
Private preschools and childcare centers can all continue to serve four-year-olds, but those programs are not part of California’s UTK program.
Who is eligible for UTK?
To be eligible for UTK, children must be four on or before September 1st of the school year they would enroll. The other requirements to enroll in UTK are the same as those to enroll in Kindergarten (residency, or winning a spot in the relevant choice lottery).
According to the law, “all” four-year-olds are supposed to be able to enroll in UTK. As a practical matter, however, many school districts are struggling to recruit enough teachers to adequately staff their existing classrooms, let alone additional classrooms. For that reason, many families who apply for UTK have had to wait to find out if their child will actually receive a spot.
How to apply for UTK?
“Pre-enrollment” for UTK in the San Diego Unified School District begins February 1st. More information about UTK at San Diego Unified, including the pre-enrollment form when it becomes available, can be found on the school district’s website.
What is the difference between UTK, preschool, and Pre-K?
The key universal differences between UTK and preschool are cost and the hours/days. “Pre-K” is what many preschools call their class for four-year-olds, so the main distinction to understand is between UTK and preschool.
Cost
UTK is essentially a new “grade” in public schools, and so is free to attend in the same was as public K-12. California continues to offer essentially no support for preschools and childcare centers (private places that care for children under five), and so preschools and childcare centers depend entirely on tuition paid by families to sustain themselves. The specific tuition rates vary widely by preschool or childcare center.
Hours/Days
UTK typically follows the same hours as its elementary school, though some UTK programs are shorter than their K-12 counterparts. Thus, UTK usually starts between 8:00am – 8:30am, and usually ends between 2:30pm – 3:30pm, though the exact hours will depend on the specific elementary school.
UTK also followed the same calendar as its elementary school. If the elementary school is not year-round, that will mean UTK students will have a lengthy winter break, weeklong spring break, and lengthy summer break. Most elementary schools also have regular half-days. Again, the specifics will vary by elementary school.
Most preschools, on the other hand, operate year-round and for full days. Aspen Leaf Preschool, for example, is open from 7:00am or 7:30am to 6:00pm, and is open year-round. You can see Aspen Leaf Preschool’s calendar here.
Curriculum
It is important for families to research and tour the specific elementary schools and/or preschools that they are considering for their children, because the nature and quality of the curriculum and program will vary enormously by individual school. There are excellent elementary schools and there are depressingly bad elementary schools. There are excellent preschools and there are depressingly bad preschools.
UTK vs. Aspen Leaf Preschool
Aspen Leaf Preschool has always strived to provide the highest-quality early childhood education for its students, with play-based learning centered around an emergency curriculum and a focus on social and emotional development. Our aim has always been to allow children to explore their interests; develop their skills (social, emotional, physical, mental, and verbal); and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. Our class sizes and ratios have always been low, typically half that of a standard UTK class. Aspen Leaf’s calendar and hours are more amenable for working families, though as set forth above, Aspen Leaf must charge private tuition while UTK is taxpayer-funded.
Every family has its own needs, priorities, values, and resources, so we encourage all families to research and visit the schools they’re considering, ask questions, and determine for themselves what school and what program will serve their families best.