Education Beat

Staffing shortages undermine transitional kindergarten rollout


Listen Later

California lawmakers set the average class size for transitional kindergarten, a new grade for four-year-olds, at 24 kids, with 1 adult for every 12 students.

It’s generally agreed upon in early education field that smaller class sizes and more adults make for higher quality preschool, with more one-on-one attention and better supervision. In many preschools licensed by the state, one adult is required for every 8 children.

But some districts are not staffing their TK classrooms to meet the 1:12 ratio, or they’re going over the class size. Some teachers say it's a safety issue.

Guests:

  • David Hunter, Transitional kindergarten teacher, Fresno Unified
  • Lasherica Thornton, Reporter, EdSource
  • Read more from EdSource:

    • These districts and charters were fined for violating TK requirements
    • TK staffing ratios are often unmet, teachers say; why some districts escape fines
    • Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Education BeatBy EdSource

      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9

      4.9

      17 ratings


      More shows like Education Beat

      View all
      This American Life by This American Life

      This American Life

      90,994 Listeners

      Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

      Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

      38,856 Listeners

      KQED's The California Report by KQED

      KQED's The California Report

      394 Listeners

      Code Switch by NPR

      Code Switch

      14,656 Listeners

      Bay Curious by KQED

      Bay Curious

      1,065 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      111,948 Listeners

      Up First from NPR by NPR

      Up First from NPR

      56,508 Listeners

      The Bay by KQED

      The Bay

      432 Listeners

      Hysteria by Hysteria

      Hysteria

      7,307 Listeners

      Throughline by NPR

      Throughline

      16,399 Listeners

      Short Wave by NPR

      Short Wave

      6,564 Listeners

      Consider This from NPR by NPR

      Consider This from NPR

      6,381 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      15,950 Listeners

      The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart by Comedy Central

      The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

      10,745 Listeners

      Classical Music Happy Hour by WNYC, WQXR

      Classical Music Happy Hour

      239 Listeners