Jonathan Kathrein: Save Transitional Kindergarten

Jonathan Kathrein weighs in on why transitional kindergarten is important for children’s educational development.

My daughters and their classmates started each morning of transitional kindergarten sitting on a parent’s lap reading. Kids and parents would clump together on the floor of the classroom. Parents took an extra kid if another parent wasn’t available.

After years of having very young kids, where interaction with other parents and children was limited, suddenly we found our community. These moments in the mornings with our 4-year-olds created community. We got to know the teachers; we got to know the other kids; and we got to know their parents.

In addition to building community, TK eases kids into elementary education. My daughters came home with stories of the things they learned – the alphabet, nature and exposure to the world beyond pre-school.

I have been looking forward to transitional kindergarten with my 4-year-old son since he was born. Shortly before opening registration, Mill Valley School District announced it would eliminate TK. My heart sank. They chalked it up to budget issues.

TK is the required first year of two years of kindergarten. But communities that have surplus property tax revenue to fund their schools don’t get extra funding from the state to provide TK. As the argument goes – if the state doesn’t fund it, the district doesn’t need to provide it.

Unfortunately, with that logic, where would the cuts stop?

Fortunately, hundreds of parents, neighbors, educators and elected officials joined together. Our community saved TK in Mill Valley for next year.

But TK is still at risk in the future and communities across the state.

The state calls it universal transitional kindergarten for a reason. Eliminating it would create a disparity – inviting those with the resources to educate their children while leaving others behind.

With a Perspective, I’m Jonathan Kathrein.

Jonathan Kathrein is a real estate attorney and father of four. He lives in Mill Valley.