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Assembly panel reviews $10M proposal for developmentally appropriate TK multilingual screener after AB 2268 change
Summary
Following AB 2268, which exempted transitional kindergarten students from the ELPAC, the governor proposes $10 million one-time to select and deploy a developmentally appropriate multilingual learner screener for TK; the LAO warned the Legislature may need to consider whether services and funding should accompany any TK identification because TKs
The subcommittee reviewed the governor's proposal to fund a Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learner screening instrument after AB 2268 removed TK students from ELPAC-based English learner classification.
Proposal and statutory background: Nate Williams of the Department of Finance said the governor's budget includes $10,000,000 one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to select a developmentally appropriate screening instrument for multilingual learners in transitional kindergarten, make training and resources available to LEAs, and allow voluntary use beginning in 2026'27 with mandatory statewide use in 2027'28.
Why the change: The Legislative Analyst's Office and CDE witnesses explained that AB 2268 was enacted in part because the existing ELPAC assessment is not developmentally appropriate for many 4-year-olds. Edgar Cabral of the LAO noted that TK students identified by a new screener would not qualify for LCFF concentration funding or federal Title III services unless the Legislature chooses to provide an explicit funding mechanism tied to service requirements.
CDE context and preschool comparison: Alicia Moreno Ramirez and Steven Profert of the California Department of Education described existing preschool family-language instruments used in the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and said CSPP tools gather family information but do not directly assess child language proficiency; they told the committee that TK multilingual learners are distinct from preschool DLLs and K-12 ELs and that the state should avoid misclassification and should provide teacher training.
Committee concerns and next steps: Committee members asked whether the state could use a single tool across CSPP preschool and TK; CDE said preschool tools are not identical in purpose to a TK screener. Lawmakers asked staff to consult further with early childhood stakeholders on tool selection, alignment and implementation details; the subcommittee held the item open.
