California creates new school grade to ease 4-year-olds into kindergarten

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

As the public education system becomes more rigorous and standardized, its effect is creeping down to the littlest students. If you think back to your own Kindergarten days, you might remember singing and puppet shows and smearing paint with your fingers to create art. Today kindergarten is more academic, resulting in more struggling children.

To remedy this, California has implemented a new grade called Transitional Kindergarten (or TK for short). In its first year, this new grade aims to bridge the gap between the play-world of preschool and the rigors of kindergarten.

For now TK is an optional program for children. However, if President Obama’s push for Universal Pre-K comes through, California will be well on the way to meet that mandate.

http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2013/02/25/30646/californias-new-school-grade-for-four-year-olds/

[X Factor 1,112]

Poor kids. Glad I'm not a kid anymore.

[Karee 4,191]

Where are they gonna get the money for this? I though the place was going broke.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Old news. This is known as VPK or voluntary pre-Kindergarten in the sunshine state. I sent my daughter. She loved it and it did a heck of a job prepping her for K. It's good stuff.

And here I thought California was a leader.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Why don't they just call it day care and be done with it? Study after study shows that all this pre-K education has little to no effect after the third grade.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Why don't they just call it day care and be done with it? Study after study shows that all this pre-K education has little to no effect after the third grade.

I don't care what they call it as long as there is something that eases kids into sitting on their butts and paying attention for more than 10 min at a time. I think the pre-K program my daughter attended was great - we spent a great deal of time selecting the right place for her to attend. Talking to her teacher, there is a big difference between the kids that did vs. those that did not attend pre-K. My little one ranks in the top tier of her class. Her pre-K teacher deserves some credit for that for sure.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Seeing that California ranks number 46 out of 50 states in educational quality they probably should start at birth to even come close to being ranked in the middle.

[X Factor 1,112]

Seeing that California ranks number 46 out of 50 states in educational quality they probably should start at birth to even come close to being ranked in the middle.