Administrators

Marin's Vision for the Education of Young Children

Creating intentional play and playful learning opportunities allows young children to acquire foundational social, emotional, and academic skills necessary for school and life success. Inclusive and culturally responsive environments honor each students' development, experience, and explicitly provide joyful opportunities for discovery, investigation, and the development of self-awareness, self-respect, and trusting relationships.

“Doing the right thing for children ecompasses an array of transformational actions and beliefs.

When you do the right thing for children, you champion every child’s right to high-quality learning experiences. When you do the right thing for children, you believe in the inherent value of every child, regardless of background. When you do the right thing for children, you take action to ensure that high-quality, meaningful educational opportunities are provided to every child.”

Maurice Sykes, Doing the Right Thing for Children: 8 Qualities of Leadership (Video)

UPK Announcements & Updates

Regional P3 Symposium

Save the Date Flyer

October 23 & 24th at Napa Valley College's Performing Arts Center.

Hosted by:

Marin County Office of Education
Alameda County Office of Education
Contra Costa County Office of Education
Lake County Office of Education
Napa County Office of Education
Solano County Office of Education
Sonoma County Office of Education
Sonoma County Child Care Planning Council
21 CSLA North Bay/North Coast Regional Academy

More information coming soon!

(CDE) New Resource! P-3 Learning Progressions

The P-3 Learning Progressions show the correspondence between the PreK/TK Learning Foundations and California Common Core State Standards. This resource includes the knowledge and skills children develop over the P-3 continuum and in practice examples that illustrate how educators can use playful, inquiry-based teaching practices to engage children in developmentally appropriate learning experiences.

(CDE) Supporting Leaders to Create a Culture for Play Across the P3 Continuum

Thursday, August 27 from 3:30-5:00

Registration Link

This webinar explores how play can be leveraged across early learning environments to support child development, strengthen engagement, and enhance learning outcomes. Participants will learn how administrators can foster a culture that values play as a foundational teaching practice while supporting educators in implementing developmentally appropriate, playful learning experiences for all children.

We will share practical strategies for using leadership, program design, and educator support to create meaningful play experiences that promote children's learning, development, and well-being.

(CDE/CalECSE) Tiny but Mighty: Growing Inclusive TK Classrooms

Flyer Announcement of Dates and Registration Link

Designed for elementary administrators, general education teachers, special education teachers, and
related service providers, this series provides practical, evidence-based strategies for creating
engaging, inclusive classrooms that reflect the developmental needs of four-year-old children.

Through classroom videos, implementation tools, real-world examples, and practical resources,
participants will leave with strategies they can implement immediately to create developmentally
responsive learning environments that support the success of children with and without disabilities.

(CDE) UPK Planning & Implementation NEW Expenditure Report Timeline

Upcoming Report Deadlines
Please review the following report requirements and deadlines to ensure your program remains in compliance:

Programmatic Reports (required for all grantees):

2025–26 UPK Program Report: Due September 30, 2026

Expenditure Reports (required for all grantees who have not reported spending all of their funds):

Report #7: Expenditure reports for the reporting period of July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, are due to the CDE on November 30, 2026.
Report #8: Expenditure reports for the reporting period of July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, are due to the CDE on November 30, 2027.
Report #9: Expenditure reports for the reporting period of July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028, are due to the CDE on November 30, 2028.

Please note - if all UPK Planning & Implementation Grant funds were spent and have been reported, then you are not required to submit further expenditure reports. You will still need to complete annual program reports.

(21CSLA) UTK Professional Learning

Offered in collaboration with the seven Regional Academies, the UTK Professional Learning Modules elevate equity-centered early learning leadership to support teacher leaders, site leaders, and central office leaders in implementing high-quality Universal Transitional Kindergarten across the state.

The 21CSLA Universal Transitional Kindergarten Initiative releases learning modules through a “Trainer-of-Trainers” model with a diverse cadre of certified UTK Regional Trainers. To date, over 55 active trainers are certified to meet the needs of local districts by leading powerful, equity-focused professional learning.

North Bay/North Coast: Counties served: Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma

Marin County Early Care and Education Director Events

mc3's Marin County Director Group: Contact Kelsey Lombardi at kelsey@mc3.org for more information

MCOE's Visionary Director Mutual Learning Community: Facilitated by Carol Barton, this MLC brings together early childhood leaders to reflect on their experiences, deepen their leadership practice, and explore a shared vision of joyful leadership. Through thoughtful dialogue, reflection, and mutual support, participants examine the challenges and opportunities of leadership while celebrating the courage, purpose, and strengths that sustain their work. For future interest, contat Isobel Shaw at ishaw@marinschools.org.

UPK Partnership Guidebook

To learn more about available family supports and resources, visit the UPK Families webpage.

To find resources and supports for teachers and caregivers, visit the UPK Teacher webpage or the MCOE ECE Professional Learning Programs webpage.

Guidance & Resources

CDE UPK & TK Information

Information regarding CA state law relating to UPK and TK

Information about TK fiscal requirements and related penalties

CDE UPK Guidance

CDE PreK-TK Learning Foundations (PTKLF)

As the state’s learning standards for early education programs, the PTKLF describe the knowledge and skills children ages three to five and a half can achieve in a high-quality early education program. The updates reflect recent research in the field, and a greater emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

PTKLF Website

30 minute videos on each PTKLF Domaing

California Educators Together

The Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) and PreKindergarten - Third Grade (P-3) Group was created to share resources and guidance for Local Education Agencies to use in preparation for the implementation of UPK. Documents in this group have been compiled by the CDE and its partners. This group is open to state and local implementers, leaders, and practitioners of UPK, including Transitional Kindergarten and early elementary school settings.

UPK / P3

California's Great Start UPK Resources

CDE Best Practices for Supporting Educators to Address Behaviors that Challenge Adults

CTC/CDE TK Summary of Educator Workforce Requirements & Sample Pathways

Developmentally Appropriate Toileting Practices

DIAL EE: Governance, Leadership & Implementation

Expanding Early Education: Strategies for Providing Rich Experiences

CDE Family & Community Partnerships Toolkit

The Family & Community Partnership Toolkit helps preschool through third grade (P–3) leaders, educators, and staff strengthen meaningful partnerships with families by building on their lived experiences and cultural assets.

Designed to support Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) programs, elementary schools, local educational agencies (LEAs), and community-based organizations (CBOs), it offers practical strategies to foster equitable family engagement, shared decision-making, and welcoming, inclusive learning environments that support the well-being and success of young children.

CISC Guidance for Teaching Mathematics in TK

CDE Inclusion Toolkit

CDE Multilingual Learner Toolkits

The Multilingual Learning Toolkit

P-3 Guide to Supporting Multilingual Learners

The Multilingual Learning Toolkit is an online hub for research-based key principles, instructional strategies, and associated, free, practical, and easy-to-use resources that are geared towards educators who teach PreK-3rd Multilingual Learners.

The P-3 GUide to Supporting Multilingual Learners explores policies and practices, and provides support tools, templates, and resources to support multilingual learners and learning environments.

P3 Alignment Resources

The PreK/TK Toolkit for English Learner Roadmap

CDE The Powerful Role of Play in Early Education

Promising UPK Practices Video Series

The video series includes interviews with leaders from districts, charter schools, county offices of education, and partner agencies to support UPK. Each video focuses on a UPK Focus Area as described in the Universal Prekindergarten Template released by the California Department of Education (CDE) and the Universal Prekindergarten Planning Toolkit: A Resource for County Offices of Education in California released by the California County Superintendents.

https://cacountysupts.org/special_projects/upk-practices/

TK Professional Resource Guide for Administrators

CDE Transitions to Elementary School Toolkit

The Transitions to Elementary School Toolkit supports county, district, and local leaders in creating strong connections between early childhood education (ECE) and Transitional Kindergarten through grade 12 (TK–12) systems.

It provides practical guidance, tools, and templates to strengthen collaboration, align systems, and promote smooth, successful transitions to elementary school for all children and families

CDE UPK Curriculum Evaluation and Implementation Toolkit

The Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Curriculum Evaluation and Implementation Toolkit helps preschool and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programs select, evaluate, and implement high-quality curricula.

It includes practical resources to support the use of locally developed, publisher-created, or blended curricula and aligns with national recommendations for effective early learning curriculum.

Ratio

TK Teacher Requirement

Ed Code 48000 (g)(4) Ensure that credentialed teachers who are first assigned to a transitional kindergarten classroom after July 1, 2015 have, by August 1, 2025 (updated from previous date of Aug 1, 2023), one of the following:

At least 24 units in early childhood education, childhood development, or both.
As determined and documented by the local educational agency employing the teacher, professional experience in a classroom setting with preschool age children meeting the criteria established by the governing board or body of the local educational agency that is comparable to the 24 units of education described in subparagraph (A).
A child development teacher permit, or an early childhood education specialist credential, issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

CDE UPK & UTK FAQs

Where is the UPK & TK FAQ page?

Where can I find resources to support my PreK & TK teachers?

What criteria must be met by the LEA to determine the professional experience option for TK teacher requirements under Ed Code 48000?

Pursuant to Education Code (EC) 48000(g)(4)(B), local educational agencies (LEAs) must determine and document the employing teacher’s professional experience in a classroom setting with preschool age children meeting the criteria established by the governing board or body of the local educational agency that is comparable to the 24 units of education. This professional experience option is determined by each district and not automatically transferable between districts.

Can an LEA run a TK program at a private community based preschool or community college?

Having a LEA operate a TK program at a satellite facility, such as a private community based preschool or community college is allowable as long as the teacher and second adult is an employee of the school district, all required conditions of apportionment are met as described in Education Code 48000 (class size max, ratio, teacher requirements, etc.), instructional time/ADA requirements (minimum day, supervsion, etc.) are met, the facility is approved by the Division of the State Architect by meeting all Field Act requirements, and the classroom being used meets Title 5 regulations. Even if the school district is occupying an existing space, the learning environments should be comparable to other learning environments in the district/state.