Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget calls for a $500 million investment, a down payment toward the ultimate goal of offering transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds in the state.
Newsom hopes to kick-start more programs for transitional kindergarten, or TK, as it is often called, by offering $250 million in grants to school districts as an incentive to develop and expand these programs. The budget also includes $50 million toward teacher training and $200 million to build facilities for younger children. The K-12 budget “trailer bill,” a 76-page document containing details about the governor’s educational proposals, paints a clearer picture of how these incentives will be rolled out and what issues remain to be addressed.