California Transitional Kindergarten Stipend Program (CTKS)
CTKS is a new program that reimburses teachers for professional development and educational expenses. It resulted from the passage of SB 876, which created additional requirements for TK teachers effective July 1, 2015.
Statewide, the program allocates $15 million for Local Planning Councils, like CCPC, to administer to teachers in Transitional Kindergarten(TK) as well as teachers in the California State Preschool Program (CSPP). CTKS is funded by the California Department of Education and is a reimbursement program for actual costs of tuition and books (ECE units only). The maximum amount of reimbursement received by any individual, public school or LEA over the period of the grant is $10,000.
Download an informational flier about CTKS: English | Spanish
Learn detailed information about the Sonoma CTKS program: Participant Information Guide English | Spanish
To Apply: Submit the required Sonoma CTKS Online Application: English | Spanish
Submit the following required documents by email to smarron@scoe.org, or by fax to (707) 524-2666, or by mail to:
Child Care Planning Council of Sonoma County, 5340 Skylane Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403
New Requirements for TK Teachers
SB 876 added additional requirements for TK teachers. Pursuant to EC 48000(g), a school district or charter school shall ensure that credentialed teachers who are first assigned to a TK classroom after July 1, 2015, have, by August 1, 2020, one of the following:
- At least 24 units in early childhood education, or childhood development, or both.
- As determined by the LEA employing the teacher, professional experience in a classroom setting with preschool age children that is comparable to the 24 units of education described in bullet 1.
- A child development teacher permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
- Any current credentialed teacher who is or was assigned to teach TK, or a combination class of kindergarten and TK, on or before July 1, 2015, is “grandfathered in” to teach TK without having to meet additional requirements. Any credentialed teacher assigned to teach TK, or a combination class of kindergarten and TK, after July 1, 2015, will have until August 1, 2020, to meet the above-mentioned education requirements.
In addition to addressing teacher requirements, EC 48000(f) states: “It is the intent of the Legislature that transitional kindergarten curriculum be aligned to the California Preschool Learning Foundations developed by the department.”
Read more about the new TK requirements here.
Contact
