Getting to Know Your Students
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With Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) growing and expanding, we look to welcome younger students on our comprehensive elementary school sites. Younger students hold a variety of strengths and assets that our UTK classrooms must be prepared to foster and grow. This means our site leaders have a call to action to develop their knowledge and skills around these young learners. Knowing what is developmentally appropriate for 4-year-olds is one way to guide leadership as they focus on supporting UTK staff in the design of high-quality teaching and learning.
At 4 years, preschoolers know hundreds of words and can use five to six words or more in sentences. So make sure your UTK classrooms are full of songs, chants, and talk! Reading rich, culturally responsive literature can spark joyful conversations that are meaningful and relevant.
Four-year-olds love moving and being active. Classrooms should invite movement and action throughout the day. Not only will recess and planned physical education be important, but movement breaks and active transitions are necessary during the school day. Imagine a group of 4-year-olds hopping to their next center!
Extend your knowledge with the resources listed here:
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Putting It All Together (PIAT)
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PIAT Jan. 26 Highlights: Vision and Coherence
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Here are a few considerations:
- What is the LEA’s vision for UPK?
- How are you developing a comprehensive plan that ensures equity for all?
- What steps are you taking to include voice from your educational partners and community?
- What is the LEA’s plan to ensure inclusion of students in the UPK classrooms?
- Where are you in the process of projecting enrollment and completing your needs assessment?
The CDE defines Vision and Coherence in six parts.
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What model(s) of service delivery does the LEA plan to implement for UPK, including classes full inclusive of children with disabilities, to provide access to the least restrictive environment for learning
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Does the LEA plan to implemnt full-day TK, part-day, or both?
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Describe how the model(s) of service delivery will be implemented across the LEA's sites and why.
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Does the LEA plan to begin operating a CSTPP or expand its current CSPP contract?
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What age of children does the LEA plan to serve through a CSPP contract?
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Does the LEA plan to serve children in ETK?
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PIAT Feb. 17 Pre-Checklist
This is the second in a series of five virtual sessions to support LEAs with the development of UPK plans. The series continues from 1 to 3 p.m. March 3, from 9 to 11 a.m. March 23, and from 1 to 3 p.m. April 5.
Below are some things to consider before your team attends the Feb. 17 session.
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Designate team members. LEAs convene a planning team with individuals who will be responsible for key functions pertaining to implementing UPK and should include staff from the early learning department and community-based early care partners, curriculum and instruction (academic, educational services, professional learning), student programs (early childhood, English learner, multilingual education, etc.), workforce recruitment, preparation support, human resources, business services, special education, assessment and data collection, expanded and after-school learning, ELO-P, and facilities.
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Develop a meeting schedule. Plan to attend the SDCOE Putting it All Together series as a team and participate in additional follow-up meetings that continue template work.
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Begin your educational partner outreach. Building trust begins with communication and it's never too early to open lines of communication with parents, staff, community groups, etc. about UPK efforts.
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Complete your self-certification. Page 12 of the UPK Planning and Implementation Template from the CDE must be completed.
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Begin collecting data. Your efforts will depend on the projected enrollment and needs assessment, so begin gathering data that will support your planning now.
- Utilize recommended/questions template to guide team discussions.
- Begin populating data for pages 13-16 of the UPK Planning template.
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We had an opportunity to meet with and talk to Amy Conforth, director of education and instructional services at Mountain Empire Unified School District (MEUSD), about her LEA’s approach and recent efforts with UTK expansion. She walked us through their initial first steps.
“Getting started with the process required us to form a team, collaborate, and learn together,” Conforth shared. She explained how the team started with a small group that included herself, the superintendent, and MEUSD’s director of early education. Their agenda was focused and driven around learning as much as they could around UTK and the state rollout. They pulled state resources like Assembly Bill 130 and most recently the Preschool Template to make sense of the requirements and begin to prioritize their actions as an LEA.
From this work they grew their team, inviting current pre-k teachers, kindergarten teachers, elementary principals, and their district After School Educational Safety coordinator and began to explore and enroll in any state and county offerings to further develop their knowledge as a team. They knew that a variety of voices was needed for both perspective and messaging.
The team reflected on LEA programs currently in place. They inventoried the number of early childhood programs and thought about their current transitional kindergarten (TK) program. Presently, their TK program is a full-day program and exists at every elementary school site in their LEA. However, at this time, due to the number of TK-eligible students they are in TK/K combination classrooms across the district. The team continues to inquire how to best developmentally serve their 4-year-olds within their current context. Currently, they are exploring 4-year-old curriculum and the alignment to Preschool Foundations and Desired Results. The team also took their commitment to learning and conducted site walk-throughs to better understand their facilities and potential needs.
Currently, materials are being designed for teachers, staff, and the greater Mountain Empire community. MEUSD wants to get the word out around UTK and enroll age-eligible 4-year-olds for the 2022-23 school year.
In closing, Conforth shared that UTK is part of their bigger P-3 vision: “This is really an opportunity for us to expand our programs and serve more students whether it be pre-k, TK or kindergarten. This is a team effort and we are up for the challenge!”
Thanks to Conforth and Mountain Empire Unified School District for sharing their journey so far.
Please reach out to Amy Conforth if you have questions or want to learn more.
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Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant
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By ensuring that each child in California has access to a year of high-quality pre-K, Assembly Bill 130 sets students up for success in kindergarten and beyond.
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With the release of the Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant-Planning Template, the CDE has established the following definitions:
Preschool through Third Grade: P-3 is a continuum of learning from preschool through 3rd grade that can be supported by intentional practices at the classroom, school, and leadership levels that align curricula, assessment, and professional learning opportunities to ensure instruction builds on the knowledge and skills that children acquire as they transition across grades and settings.
Universal prekindergarten: UPK refers to universal TK as well as the expanded California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Head Start, and early childhood special education services that families can choose from to create rich early learning opportunities for all three- and four-year-old children during the year or two years before kindergarten. In high-needs neighborhoods, the CDE strongly encourages LEAs to consider pairing TK programs with access to Head Start and CSPP for age- and income-eligible three- and four-year-old children to further bolster program quality, either through the LEA’s own Head Start or CSPP program or via a contract partnership with a CBO that administers a Head Start or CSPP.
Transitional Kindergarten: TK means the first year of a two-year kindergarten program, serving 4-year-old children regardless of income that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age- and developmentally-appropriate (Education Code Section 48000 [d]).
Universal Transitional Kindergarten: UTK refers to the expansion of TK by 2025–26 to serve all 4-year-old children by Sept. 1 of each year, regardless of income, providing a year of rich learning opportunities the year before kindergarten that families can choose from as part of California’s public education system. Education Code (EC) 8281.5
California State Preschool Program: CSPP is the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation. CSPP includes both part-day and full-day services to eligible three- and 4-year-old children. CSPP provides a core class curriculum that is developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the children served. The program also provides meals and snacks to children, parent education, referrals to health and social services for families, and staff development opportunities to employees. The program is administered through LEAs, colleges, community-action agencies, local government entities, and private, nonprofit agencies.
Expanded Learning: This includes before school, after-school, summer, or intersession learning programs that focus on developing the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs and interests of pupils through hands-on, engaging learning experiences. It is the intent of the Legislature that expanded learning programs are pupil-centered, results-driven, include community partners, and complement, but do not replicate, learning activities in the regular school day and school year.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P): ELO-P provides funding for after-school and summer school enrichment programs for TK through 6th grade. The ELO-P is defined as services provided in addition to the normal school day and school year operations, to provide full-day and full-year expanded learning programs to meet the needs of working families whose children are enrolled in TK through 6th grade and also provide expanded learning enrichment programming for students. A full day is defined as in-person before-school or after-school expanded learning opportunities that, when added to daily instructional minutes, are no fewer than nine hours of combined instructional time and expanded learning opportunities per instructional day. A full year includes a minimum of 30 days of programming in the summer and intersession for no fewer than nine hours of in-person expanded learning opportunities per day.
Early Learning and Care: This refers to the continuum of programs serving children from birth to preschool or school entry, as well as extended care to support school-age children with before school and after-school care as well as vacation schedules. This includes general child care, Early Head Start and Head Start, community-based early learning and care programs, family child care providers, and family, friend, and neighbor care.
Extended Learning and Care: This refers to the continuum of programs and services (early learning and care options and expanded learning options) available in addition to the normal school day and school year operations, to provide full-day and full-year care to meet the needs of working families whose children are enrolled in TK or kindergarten. A full day is defined as in-person before school or after-school programming or care that, when added to daily instructional minutes, provide no fewer than nine hours of combined instructional time and expanded learning opportunities per instructional day. A full year includes a minimum of 30 days of programming in the summer and intersession for no fewer than nine hours of in-person expanded learning opportunities per day. Funding to support extended learning and care for children enrolled in TK includes the ELO-P and the CSPP, as specified in guidance provided by the CDE’s Early Education Division. Additional subsidized care opportunities may be available to families who qualify, such as child care vouchers and the General Child Care School Age program.
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Beginning December 2021
"LEAs convene a planning team with individuals who will be responsible for key functions pertaining to implementing UPK and should include staff from the early learning department and community-based early care partners, curriculum and instruction (academic, educational services, professional learning), student programs (early childhood, English learner, multilingual education, etc.), workforce recruitment, preparation support, and human resources, business services, special education, assessment and data collection, expanded and after-school learning, ELO-P, and facilities."
March 1, 2022
LEAs convene a public engagement process to gather input and perspectives to inform the plan. This engagement process should include parents, early learning communities (including CSPP, Head Start, and the Head Start Policy Council), and expanded learning communities (including the After-School Education and Safety Program). To ensure meaningful engagement, the CDE recommends LEAs complete this by March 1, 2022.
April 15, 2022
If the LEA wants technical assistance from its county office of education, the CDE recommends LEAs submit a draft of the UPK Plan to the county office of education for review by April 15, 2022.
June 1, 2022
Planning teams meet with the county office of education to discuss the LEA’s draft, including local constituency input, by June 1, 2022.
June 30, 2022
Under state law, the plan must be developed for consideration by the LEA’s governing board or body at a public meeting on or before June 30, 2022. The CDE must encumber funds by June 30, 2024. LEAs will have until June 30, 2025, to use the funds.
After July 30, 2022
CDE will be collecting information on the answers to the “required questions” via survey format. LEA must provide data, as specified by the state superintendent of public instruction, to the CDE.
July 31, 2022
Following the presentation of the plan to the LEA's school board, the LEA shall respond to the CDE's subsequent requests for information no later than July 31, 2022.
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UPK Planning Template Office Hours
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Need additional support? The following office hours are being offered in the specific topic areas:
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Facilities, Services, and Operations from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
- Feb. 22 — Registration Link
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Workforce Recruitment and Human Resources from 11 a.m. to noon
- Feb. 23 — Registration link
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Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) from 11 a.m. to noon
- March 10, April 6, May 12, June 16 — Information flyer
- Join the SDCOE Expanded Learning Network — Register here
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Resources from the California Department of Education
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Invite your colleagues to receive this new publication by sharing this email or the link below. We'll be publishing no more than monthly as new information is available.
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We're hard at work updating SDCOE's UTK/TK webpage. Check the site often for updates and new details related to the P-3 alignment effort and UTK news.
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If you would prefer to not receive this newsletter, please reply to this email (or email erin.dare@sdcoe.net) and ask to be unsubscribed. SDCOE sends important and critical information throughout the year, and we don’t want you to miss out by clicking the unsubscribe link in this email.
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If you have any questions or comments about P3 -UTK newsletter, email SDCOE Executive Leadership Coach Erin Dare or call 858-295-8913.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.
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