California transitioning kindergarten age requirement
By Diana Lambert, Sacramento Bee
Preet Sandhu wasn’t surprised to learn last week that her daughter Kirat wasn’t eligible for kindergarten. Elk Grove Unified staff had done a good job of getting the word out.
Sandhu’s daughter turns 5 on Nov. 5, 2012 – and a new law requires that kids be age 5 by Nov. 1 to enroll in kindergarten next school year. Currently, California children could enroll in kindergarten if they turned 5 by Dec. 2.
The new law changing the age requirement for kindergartners is being phased in over three years. In the fall of 2013, children must be age 5 by Oct. 1. In the fall of 2014, students must turn 5 by Sept. 1.
So what happens to these kids with later birthdays?
The law that changed the age requirement also called for a new grade level – transitional kindergarten, or TK.