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California's youngest learners are one step closer to entering kindergarten prepared to learn and succeed after the state Legislature on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 1381 (Simitian, Steinberg), the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010. The bill now heads to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his signature. California's children begin kindergarten at a younger age than children in almost any other state, often before they have the maturity and the social, early literacy and pre-math skills they need to meet the challenges of kindergarten. At the same time, the state has some of the highest academic standards for what it expects children to learn in kindergarten classrooms. Currently, if children turn age 5 by Dec. 2, they attend kindergarten. The bill would change the kindergarten entry date in California from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1, so all children enter kindergarten at age 5. SB 1381 passed by a bipartisan vote in both houses. It is the first time in at least two decades that such a proposal has passed the Legislature, despite numerous previous attempts. The bill would also provide a year of "transitional kindergarten" before kindergarten for the children with these fall birthdays. This transitional kindergarten would provide 120,000 4 year olds with high-quality early learning, including approximately 49,000 English Language Learners and 74,000 who attend Title I schools. Transitional kindergarten would be funded with the money that would have been spent on regular kindergarten. There would be no additional costs associated with the program, and it would maintain existing levels of education funding and employ existing teachers and classroom facilities. The bill is cosponsored by Preschool California, a nonprofit advocacy organization working to increase access high-quality early learning for all of California's children, starting with those who need it most. President Catherine Atkin called the recent votes an important victory for California's children. "Transitional kindergarten is a critical component of K-12 reform in the early elementary years, building a bridge between early learning and kindergarten that will give our children additional time to develop socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically," Atkin said. Research shows that moving the kindergarten entry date up increases test scores by as much as 27 percent, helping to close the achievement gap. Children who attend high-quality early learning programs like transitional kindergarten are also less likely to drop out of high school, be held back a grade or placed in special education, and more likely to score better on reading and math achievement tests, studies show. "This change in the kindergarten entry age enables us to redirect our limited school resources in a way that will make them most effective in providing children with the level of education most appropriate for them," said State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). "We should seize this opportunity to expand kindergarten at no additional cost to K-12 education. It just makes sense educationally and financially." Recognizing that a strong start in kindergarten can help children develop a solid foundation for future learning and success, communities across California have already implemented this innovative reform. Los Angeles Unified School District, for example, is launching its Transition Kindergarten pilot program this fall, as are districts in Sacramento, Santa Cruz and Fresno counties. Communities including Palo Alto, Orange County and Torrance are already operating similar programs. SB 1381 has also attracted widespread support from more than 40 organizations representing business, law enforcement, parents, K-12 educators and early childhood education advocates. "As business leaders, we are always looking for sound investments, and, with early childhood education, the return on investment is huge," said AT&T California President Ken McNeely. "There are too many children entering kindergarten without foundational social or language skills. Quality early childhood education programs have the power to help our kids to overcome these deficiencies at an early age and to close the achievement gap." California kindergarten teachers also back the bill because they know that it will help ensure children are not behind from the start. "Our youngest kindergarteners would benefit from the change in entrance age date, accompanied by a quality transitional kindergarten experience, by entering older and more prepared to meet the kindergarten standards," said Debra Weller, president of the California Kindergarten Association. "SB 1381 has the backing of research and statewide momentum. California policymakers and the governor should support SB 1381 as a critical educational reform." For more information on SB 1381, visit www.preschoolcalifornia.org/SB1381 and www.senatorsimitian.com/legislation. |