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Health & Fitness

California Law Makers add Transitional kindergarten to Budget.

An Up-date to a Previous Post re: Transitional Kindergarten

The agreement will include $264 million for several new children’s programs, including 11,500 preschool slots for low-income 4-year-olds by June 2015, while another 31,500 slots would be created in future years. In addition, there would be $50 million in grants to preschool programs, $69 million to increase reimbursement rates for early learning and child care providers, and more training. Democrats initially sought much more, including offering transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds, regardless of income.

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California wants to Spend $198 Million (from "expected" Budget Surplus) on Universal Kindergarten

California Senate Democrats are calling for universal pre-kindergarten. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said there is plenty of money in the budget for new policy priorities.

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Steinberg acknowledged the expense, but said universal pre-kindergarten was an appropriate way to spend some of California's expected budget surplus because students would benefit greatly.

"I am proud to call this wise spending in California," Steinberg said.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/01/california-senate-democrats-call-for-universal-pr...

Transitional kindergarten is not about the education of children- it is about more jobs for teachers. Orange County Schools do not receive adequate funding to pay for this. 

Senate Bill 1381 mandated CUSD to start a two year transitional kindergarten program that cost CUSD $1,045,470 in 2013-2014 and served 96 children. Source: See the District Budget Report on Programs, Projects, and Finances for Three Fiscal Years.  http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1229223560406/1218998864154/8712875548042173714.pdf

CUSD is looking to cut $12 million from its budget for 2014-2015. Should K- 12 kids be expected to have more furlough days, increased class sizes, deferred maintenance and program cuts to pay for a NEW program for 4 year olds? see http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/groups/eye-on-education/p/cusd-will-need-to-find-12-million-in-bu... and http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/groups/eye-on-education/p/cusd-wrecking-ball--what-does-130-milli...

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