Governor proposes $3.9 billion to finish universal TK; analysts question uptake and cost estimates

The Assembly’s joint childcare and preschool oversight hearing on the state’s early learning Master Plan heard details of the governor’s January budget proposal to fully implement universal transitional kindergarten (TK) and to lower TK student‑to‑adult ratios.

The administration told the committee the Governor’s 2025–26 proposal would invest $3.9 billion ongoing in TK: roughly $2.4 billion to expand eligibility to all children who turn 4 by Sept. 1 (about 60,000 additional children in the budget year) and $1.5 billion to lower classroom ratios from 12:1 to 10:1 statewide.

Why it matters: universal, publicly funded pre‑K for 4‑year‑olds is a central plank of California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care. Implementation choices on funding, staffing and facilities will determine whether TK…