AB 1391, which was designed to get state funding for transitional kindergarten in basic aid districts, was stopped in appropriations as it made its way through the California Legislature.
"I was devastated," said Fiona Lloyd-Moffett, a transitional kindergarten teacher in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District. "I probably wept for days... It's so close to my heart because it, it's not just our district. It's children all over California."
"It was heartbreaking. It stopped me dead in my tracks," said Monica Garcia, a transitional kindergarten teacher in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District.
Assembly Member Dawn Addis authored the bill after budget constraints forced the San Luis Coastal Unified School District to consider cutting transitional kindergarten.
"Early learning is one of the most important things that we can do for kids," Addis said. "But we need funding to get to every single student, no matter what district they live in. "
Despite this setback, local TK teachers say they aren't giving up.
"It's not over. It's not over," Garcia said. "There is still hope. We must keep trying. And if anything, it's just a hiccup in the road. We have to keep trying. Our community needs it. Our state needs it not just for our small district, but there are districts all over the state of California where children will be impacted. Perhaps there are newborns that are being born right now that will have the benefit of TK in the years to come. And so for them, we have to keep fighting and we have to keep hope alive."
Transitional kindergarten was not cut this year at San Luis Coastal, but it will look a little different this year.
"We're really thinking it's going to be a positive, really positive outcome," Lloyd-Moffett explained. "Instead of a full day program, we are offering two half-day programs in TK. So there will be a morning cohort group and an afternoon group, but all children will have access to a full day of care at school for free. So a child in the morning TK class, for example, would be with me in the morning and in the afternoon would have care through Sun n' Fun, or through the YMCA at our local, at our school sites."
Both teachers add that it's not too late to enroll for this school year.
"We urge you to enroll your children," Lloyd-Moffett said. "We have spots available. Every school site has places in their TK, and you can contact the school office online or go in person and please enroll.
