Center for the Study of Childcare Employment

California is expanding transitional kindergarten (TK)—the state’s universal prekindergarten options—so that by the fall of 2025, all four-year-olds across the state will have access to TK in public schools. The fast pace of expansion has districts scrambling to secure facilities, adequately staff TK classrooms, and provide curriculum resources necessary for delivering a developmentally appropriate program for four-year-olds.

This report examines the working conditions and teaching experiences of TK teachers during the first year of expansion in 2023. It builds on our 2020 report, which looked at TK teachers’ working conditions prior to expansion.