Formerly known as Transitional Kindergarten
In Irvine Unified School District, we believe the goal of our Early Childhood Learning Programs is to promote a joy of learning in a positive and nurturing environment. This will create critical thinkers, effective oral communicators, and life-long learners. In partnership with parents, we will provide intentional opportunities that meet the emotional, social, physical, and academic needs of all learners. Early Childhood Learning Programs include Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten (formerly known as Transitional Kindergarten) and Kindergarten.
Click on one of + signs below for more information.
PK (TK) Enrollment Age Eligibility
Pre-Kindergarten (PK) has replaced our program formerly known as Transitional Kindergarten (TK). This change has happend gradually over the past few years, expanding the age eligibility range each year for children to enroll in IUSD's PK program. IUSD will serve the educational needs of all 4 year-olds by the 2025-26 school year and beyond.
School Year | PK Eligible | Kindergarten Eligible |
| 2024-25 | Birthdate 09/02/2019 - 06/02/2020 | Birthdate 09/02/2018 - 09/01/20219 |
| 2025-26 | Birthdate 09/02/2020 - 09/01/2021 | Birthdate 09/02/2019 - 09/01/2020 |
| 2026-27 | Birthdate 09/02/2021 - 09/01/2022 | Birthdate 09/02/2020 - 09/01/2021 |
| 2027-28 | Birthdate 09/02/2022 - 09/01/2023 | Birthdate 09/02/2021 - 09/01/2022 |
PK & Kindergarten Parent Night
A parent meeting will be hosted by each elementary school on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
Please visit your assigned neighborhood elementary school's website for the time.
Prior to the event on February 27th we ask that all parents watch IUSD’s Welcome to PK & Kindergarten Parent Information Presentation and review the electronic resources below.
The age requirement for Pre-Kindergarten (PK), formerly known as Transitional Kindergarten, for the 2025-26 school year includes children who will turn 5 years of age between September 2 - September 1.
View Additional Information Below:
How to enroll
Enrollment for the current year is on-going.
Enrollment will begin February 28th for the 2025-26 school year. You can enroll through the IUSD's online enrollment process, which can be started by clicking here or visiting www.iusd.org/enrollment. Students who meet the age eligibilty requirements will automatically be enrolled in PK.
To access the health documents necessary for enrollment, click on the link:
Once the enrollment has been completed, your assigned school will process it and contact you once it has been finalized. This can take a few weeks if you are enrolling for the 2025-26 school year. Please visit your assigned school's website for addtional information.
If your assigned neighborhood school site does not offer PK (TK) or if the class is full, your child will be placed at the closest site that has space availability.
Please note: If your student is enrolled at ECLC, you do not complete the online portion of the enrollment. Simply bring the enrollment documents to your school site.
PK (TK) in IUSD
What is PK vs. tk?
Over the last five years, Pre-Kindergarten (PK) replaced our previous program known as Transitional Kindergarten (TK). This change gradually phased to include all 4 year-olds by the 2025-26 school year.
Historically, TK has served as the first year of a two year Kindergarten program. PK will represent a true bridge between Preschool and Kindergarten. PK is taught by a credentialed teacher with early childhood expertise, utilizing a unique specialized curriculum that is aligned with the Preschool Learning Foundations and Kindergarten Common Core standards. PK instruction is explicitly designed to support the range of social-emotional, physical, and academic needs of developing four year-olds. The PK environment will include many opportunities for fine and gross-motor activities, oral language development, and social-emotional learning. IUSD's PK program prioritizes intentional teaching that is hands-on and child-centered, purposeful structured play, and small-group instruction.
PK will provide our youngest learners with a strong foundation for school readiness so that students enter Kindergarten prepared to learn and thrive!
For the 2024-2025 school year, PK will serve students who turn 5 years-old between September 2nd and June 2nd. For the 2025 -2026 school year, PK will serve all students who turn 5 between September 2, 2020 and September 1, 2021.
PK (TK) school sites
PK (TK) will be offered at the following sites:
Serving the Northern Area: Beacon Park, Brywood, Cadence Park, Canyon View, Cypress Village, Eastwood, Loma Ridge, Northwood, Portola Springs, Santiago Hills, Solis Park, Stonegate and Woodbury (Year Round)
Serving the Central Area: College Park, Culverdale, Deerfield, Eastshore, Greentree, Meadow Park, Oak Creek, Plaza Vista (Year Round), Springbrook, Stone Creek and Westpark (Year Round)
Serving the Southern Area: Alderwood, Bonita Canyon, Turtle Rock and University Park
Sites are designated (upon completion of enrollment) based on assigned neighborhood school and space availability.
*Due to the expansion of the program, sites can be added and/or changed for the 2025-26 school year.
IUSD PK (tK) continuum of standards
- IUSD's Continuum of Standards: This is IUSD's continuum of standards that outlines the bridge between the Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. It is a roadmap for the standards taught - acknowledging the progression of skill development along the continuum.
- California Department of Education Preschool Learning Foundations: The Foundations provide an overview of the key knowledge and skills that most preschool children can achieve when provided with interaction, instruction, and an environment that is based on the research of early experiences shown to promote early learning and development.
- California Department of Education Preschool Curriculum Frameworks: The Frameworks provides an overall approach to teachers to support student learning through environments and experiences that are developmentally appropriate, reflective of thoughtful observation and intentional planning, individually and culturally meaningful, and inclusive of children with disabilities and special needs.
questions and answers
What is the difference between PK (formally TK) and Kindergarten?
The Pre-Kindergarten classroom will provide developmentally appropriate thematic-based curriculum. The curriculum is a hybrid between the California Preschool Learning Foundations and the California Common Core Standards for Kindergarten. Students in the PK program will be provided a program that will bridge their early childhood experiences to those of the public school system.
Is my child required to go to a PK class if their birthday falls within the cut-off date?
No, it is an optional program for families.
Can my child enter kindergarten if they are eligible for the PK class?
No, students must turn 5 on or before September 1st to enter kindergarten.
Where will the PK classes be held?
The classes will be held at elementary school sites within IUSD. Sites are located regionally and designated (upon completion of enrollment) based on assigned neighborhood school and space availability.
If the PK class is not offered at my child's neighborhood school, where will they go?
Based on space availability, they will go to the PK classroom at the school closest to your child's neighborhood school. Please keep in mind this is a one year program; your child will return to their assigned neighborhood school the following school year.
Which school will my child attend for kindergarten if they go to a different school for PK?
Your child will still go to their assigned neighborhood school for kindergarten, unless you choose to pursue IUSD's Intradistrict/School Choice option and follow those procedures.
Will there be transportation to the schools offering PK classes?
No, again, PK is not compulsory, and transportation would be cost-prohibitive. It is the parents' responsibility to transport their children to their PK program.
Can my child participate in PK if his/her birthday is in August?
For the 2025-26 school year, IUSD'S PK program will be available for students who turn five years old between September 2, 2025 and September 1, 2026. Children turning 5 on or before September 1 are eligible for Kindergarten in IUSD.
Child care & additional PK (tk) resources
To learn more about Universal PK (Transitional Kindergarten), please visit the California Department of Education website at:
TK California Website:
For more information on before/after school care, please visit the City of Irvine at: