INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
FOR THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR
While LCMSD does not offer UPK/TK programs, families who meet California State Preschool Program (CSPP) criteria may have access to free preschool services. CSPP eligibility includes income limits, current aid recipients, children experiencing homelessness, children receiving protective services, or those with exceptional needs. If your family meets these criteria, we encourage you to explore preschool options available through the College of Marin.
TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read)
- Since there is no state funding to offer UPK/TK for basic aid districts, LCMSD will not be offering UPK/TK in 2025-26
- Video Update (longer explanation)
- Video Update (5 minute version)
- November 12, 2024 Board Update
- UPK/TK Coffee Chat - December 18, 2024 from 8:30 am - 9:30 am at Neil Cummins (all community members are welcome to attend) - this will be an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about LCMSD’s decision to not offer UPK/TK for 2025-26
- Sign up here to receive LCMSD district updates
Dear LCMSD Community,
LCMSD prides itself in our commitment to every student, every day. This means we strive to ensure every student is known, challenged, supported, and respected. With that, we provide classroom experiences to support a full range of learners and push all to one or more years of growth. Additionally, we provide rich experiences such as art, music, physical education, and high-interest elective choices for our middle school students.
These commitments are greatly supported by our community through the parcel tax, SPARK Foundation, and PTO/A donations. Community funding is what takes a great district to new heights. As you may, or may not know, LCMSD is designated as a Basic Aid funded district. About 10% of all school districts in California are also deemed Basic Aid, which means that our property taxes meet/exceed the minimum per pupil expenditure as defined by the state. The other 90% of districts are LCFF funded, which means they rely on state funding in addition to their property taxes to meet this minimum per pupil requirement.
When transitional kindergarten was announced by Governor Newsom, it was said to be funded. Unfortunately, we have learned that this funding applies only to LCFF districts, leaving Basic Aid districts, like LCMSD, without guaranteed financial support. There are different levels of Basic Aid funding. For example, Laguna Beach is what many would define as “deep Basic Aid” since their property taxes significantly exceed this threshold, while LCMSD is “barely Basic Aid”, as we are very close to the cut off.
To meet TK requirements, we anticipate the staffing costs for one TK classroom - including one teacher and one paraprofessional - would total approximately $195,000 annually. However, districts across California, including LCMSD, face significant challenges in recruiting and retaining paraprofessionals. After extensive research, we’ve found this shortage is a trend statewide. Many districts have been unable to fill paraprofessional positions and, in response, have had to hire two certificated teachers per TK classroom to meet required staffing ratios. For LCMSD, this adjustment would increase costs to $270,000 per classroom annually.
The costs of implementing TK have created challenges for districts across California. Several neighboring districts have already had to reduce TK program hours to the state minimum of three hours per day to offset rising expenses. Additionally, several Basic Aid districts in Sonoma County have determined they can no longer sustain the financial burden of TK and have decided to close their programs altogether.
Unfortunately, for over a decade, LCMSD had a structural deficit due to program costs exceeding revenue. Through multiple rounds of staffing and program reductions, we have now found ourselves with a balanced budget. With the lack of state funding for TK, we would quickly revert back to the deficit model, most likely resulting in further program reduction in grades K-8. Since there is no additional funding for LCMSD to add this additional grade level (and the equivalent of two grade levels of staffing), we have made the very difficult decision to not offer TK for 2025-2026.
We see the benefits of TK and it pains us to make this decision in light of the lack of state funding. We have joined Basic Aid advocacy groups who are pushing the Governor to fund this program. Should they be successful and/or if another funding source is provided, we will revisit this decision. Additionally, we are exploring creative partnerships with the hopes of future options for students. As these develop, we will keep families informed.
For more information about TK, including funding and reporting information, class size and ratios, early enrollment children and instructional time, see the transitional kindergarten FAQs on the CDE website here.
Additionally, here is the November 21, 2024 video update on the UPK/TK program in LCMSD.
We understand that this decision isn’t what some were hoping for. Please know we are committed to exploring the options mentioned above with the goal of securing funding for UPK/TK. Additionally, you can sign-up here to receive LCMSD district-wide updates.
If you would like to ask further questions or learn more about LCMSD’s decision to not offer UPK/TK for 2025-26, please join us for the UPK/TK Coffee Chat - December 18, 2024 from 8:30 am - 9:30 am at Neil Cummins (all community members are welcome to attend).
Sincerely,
Dr. Brett Geithman
Superintendent, Larkspur-Corte Madera School District
