Pacific Grove Unified weighs TK age cutoff as state expands transitional kindergarten

Superintendent Dr. Linda Adamson said Pacific Grove Unified School District is still deciding whether to adopt the state'recommended Sept. 1 age cutoff for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for the 2025'26 school year or keep its current June 3 cutoff.

The decision matters for families whose children have birthdays between June 3 and Sept. 1, because it determines whether those children are eligible for TK next fall. Adamson said the state recently published preschool'transitional kindergarten learning foundations and that a "Sept. 1 date becomes mandatory" for 2025'26 in the language tied to state funding, but she emphasized the mandate has a contingency: apportionment of funds to districts.

"One thing that not everyone in this room may be aware of is that Pacific Grove Unified School District is what is referred to as the Basic Aid district," Adamson said. "Essentially what that means is that we are a community funded school district, which means we receive the majority of all of our funding from property taxes within our district boundary area. ... What this really boils down to is that what we're learning ... is that as a basic aid district, we would not be required to put into effect that new age, deadline of Sept. 1. That we could, as a district, make that decision to maintain the current June 3 deadline."

Adamson said fiscal considerations are central. Opening TK to younger learners statewide could require additional classroom staffing and other expenses; in the absence of designated state funds for basic aid districts, the district would need to absorb those costs. "If we're not receiving the additional funding to really open up our walls to our younger learners, and if that does require additional staffing ... we would really have to carry the additional cost," she said.

Chief business officer Josh Jorn asked families to note the registration calendar while the district finalizes its decision. Jorn told families preregistration is already open and formal registration begins May 5. Adamson said the district aims to make an announcement "within the next few weeks" and invited families whose children are affected by the June 3'Sept. 1 window to speak with district staff individually after the meeting.

The district did not announce a final policy at the meeting and described the decision as continuing to evolve as the state publishes guidance and funding details.

Ending: The district said it will post a decision and update information on its website and in school communications once it is finalized. Families with students born between June 3 and Sept. 1 for the 2025'26 year were urged to preregister and talk with district staff about individual circumstances.