If your child is too young to begin kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year but will be 5 years old between Sept. 2, 2023, and April 2, 2024, your student is eligible to apply for Transitional Kindergarten (TK).

State law requires school districts to offer TK, or an extra year of kindergarten, giving students two years to develop the essential skills to excel academically and socially in elementary school. Research suggests that starting kindergarten at an older age can boost children’s test scores, and such students are less likely to be retained or placed in special education.  

Learn about the benefits of TK by watching the video below.

Listed below are the schools offering Transitional Kindergarten for the school year of 2023-24. All Transitional Kindergarten students will automatically be placed at their resident school for Kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year.

Please note, school sites for TK may change, and scheduled class times may vary from Kindergarten class times at each school site. At this time, the following schedules are planned:

Full-Day TK (same hours as Grades 1-5 or 1-6):

• Arlington Heights
• Gold River Discovery Center
• Grand Oaks
• Kingswood
• Lichen
• Ottomon 
• Pasadena 
• Thomas Edison Language Institute (English program only)

To apply for the TK lottery for the 2023-24 school year, follow the steps below:

To either enter a TK school we have space in or get your child on an interest list for a TK site that is full at the moment, click on the preferred link below to create a PowerSchool account and complete the electronic form.  

English link

Spanish link

Russian link

Ukrainian link

*Please remember Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a full-year program. Students will not be moved to kindergarten at any time during the first year of the program. Students will also be placed back at their resident school for (KN), even those placed at open schools.

To apply for the TK lottery, follow the steps below: (School Year 2022-23, through June 2, 2023):

To either enter a TK school we have space in or get your child on an interest list for a TK site that is full at the moment, click here to create a PowerSchool account and complete the electronic form.  

*Please remember Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a full-year program. Students will not be moved to kindergarten at any time during the first year of the program. Students will also be placed back at their resident school for (KN), even those placed at open schools.

• Two Proof of Residence (in San Juan Unified School District):
  • CURRENT mortgage/property tax bill or rental/lease agreement AND 
  • CURRENT utility bill (SMUD, PG & E or WATER) with correct name and address
  • Shared Residency Affidavit, if applicable

• Proof of Age:  To prove age, Education Code section 48002 permits school districts to accept the following:
  • Certified copy of the birth record
  • Statement by the local registrar or county recorder certifying the date of birth
  • Baptism certificate
  • Passport 
  • When none of the foregoing is obtainable, an affidavit from the parent, guardian, or custodian, or any other appropriate means of proving the child’s age.

TK students must be compliant with all required immunizations by Aug. 1, 2023, or be compliant within a series of shots.

• Immunization record: Complete record of immunizations for the child 
  • All immunizations must be current as required by California State Law (Health and Safety Code, Sections 120325-120375 (formerly Sections 3380-3390); California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Sections 6000-6075) 
  • Medical exemptions for school entry must be issued through CAIR-ME website. https://cair.cdph.ca.gov/exemptions 
  • The San Juan Central Immunization Clinic is currently closed until further notice. 
  • Required Immunizations  
  • Letter to Parents - IZ Requirements
  • The San Juan Central Immunization Clinic is currently closed until further notice. Please click here for the Elica Health Centers 2022 Mobile Clinic Information
    
    

Other Required Documents (if applicable):

• Individualized Education Plan (IEP) if your child is receiving special education services
• Guardianship / Custody papers (if applicable)
  
  

*Families that lack stable housing can immediately enroll their child(ren) in school without the regularly required documentation. Parents/guardians must provide this documentation at a later date. Please let a staff person know if this is your situation. Placement of families in transition or foster children is a high priority for enrollment and we will work with families to get their students enrolled. 

San Juan Unified School District is proud to implement a multi-year phased process to expand Transitional Kindergarten (TK) to all four-year-olds by the 2025-2026 school year.

• Students whose fifth birthday falls between Sept. 2, 2023, and April 2, 2024, are eligible to enroll for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Students whose fifth birthday falls between Sept. 2, 2024, and June 2, 2025, are eligible to enroll for the 2024-2025 school year.
• Students who turn four by Sept. 1, 2025 are eligible to enroll for the 2025-2026 school year.