TK and California’s Mixed Delivery System: Select Committee Hearing on Child Care Costs

Arguably, Transitional Kindergarten has become one of California’s most significant education reforms. Its rapid expansion is already transforming enrollment patterns, staffing decisions, and financial stability in early learning programs across the state. However, the rollout of TK has not been without its growing pains. To address these issues, the Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs has scheduled an upcoming hearing:

Transitional Kindergarten in the Context of California’s Mixed Delivery System
Tuesday, December 9
1:00 – 4:00 PM
Location: TBD 

While the exact venue is still being finalized, this hearing will be an important moment for early learning providers, families, and advocates across the state. As TK continues to expand,  the question is no longer if it will reshape the early learning landscape,  it’s how it will continue to do so, and what pivots the state will need to adopt to protect a true mixed delivery system in the process. As always, our Executive Director - Nina Buthee, will be representing the EveryChild CA family at the committee hearing, listening closely and lifting up the voices and experiences of the field. Community-based early learning programs, Title 5, Title 22, family child care homes, and nonprofits, remain essential to family choice and to the health of California’s early learning ecosystem. A strong mixed delivery system depends on meaningful collaboration. The Select Committee’s focus on TK and mixed delivery provides an opportunity for us to address what providers have shared with us:

• Sudden drops in 4-year-old enrollment.
• Difficulty projecting and earning contracts.
• Staffing challenges tied directly to TK expansion.
• Opportunities for collaboration with local LEAs.
• Families struggling to piece together full-day care. 

As we prepare for the December 9 hearing, we want to lift up the experiences of our members across the state. If you have examples of enrollment shifts, staffing challenges, positive TK partnerships, gaps in collaboration, family needs not being met, and any other issues or wins you would like the committee to know about, please share them with us. These stories help shape the conversations we bring to policymakers and ensure that decisions reflect the realities of the field. We will be sure to share updates after the hearing, including key takeaways and next steps. Thank you for your continued dedication to California’s children and families!