In response to an anticipated increase in demand for Transitional Kindergarten teachers, this summer College of the Canyons will launch an accelerated Early Childhood Education TK credential pathway for currently credentialed teachers that will be or may be teaching Transitional Kindergarten.

Each of the pathway’s nine courses will be offered in a five-week, fully online format, running summer 2022 through spring 2023.

“This one-time pathway was created due to a request from the local school districts,” said Jennifer Paris, a faculty member in the college’s early childhood education department. “The state is implementing Universal Transitional Kindergarten, resulting in a huge increase in demand for TK teachers.”

In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 130, which will gradually expand TK over a four-year period—starting in 2022—until all four-year-old children can attend a high-quality TK program before entering kindergarten.

Beginning Aug. 1, 2023, credentialed teachers will also need 24 ECE units to teach Transitional Kindergarten per the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

The 24-unit Transitional Kindergarten pathway at COC will focus on development, equity, observation, curriculum, special education and families.

The first course of the pathway will run from July 11 to Aug. 13 with Professor Lisa Prince.

“This pathway is using existing courses that were carefully chosen and sequenced to get interested teachers 24 units by the end of spring 2023,” said Paris.

For more information about the accelerated Transitional Kindergarten pathway at College of the Canyons, please email jennifer.paris@canyons.edu or leave a voicemail at (661) 362-3508.