"Universal prekindergarten (UPK) refers to universal transitional kindergarten (UTK) as well as the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Head Start, and early childhood special education programs and providers that families can choose from to create rich early learning opportunities for many three- and all four-year-old children during the year or two years before kindergarten." - CA Dept. of Education

Wondering about the newly updated Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF)? The PTKLF are California's early learning standards for children ages 3 to 5 ½ years old in early education programs. With 9 different domains aligned with the California Common Core State Standards, the PTKLF set the foundation for school readiness and later life success! Check out the PTKLF Introduction and At-a-Glance PDFs to learn more about each domain! https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp?ref=my.caqualityearlylearning.org

The first UPK Curriculum Workgroup will be held Thursday. September 26 from 10:00 to 11:30 am at 1870 Bird Street, Oroville. There is a virtual option to attend on zoom https://bcoe.zoom.us/j/99069156599?pwd=o2EsuvB0qQkkQZ3r7vmwFKPnAoaxZF.1

TK Teacher Requirements must be met by August 1, 2025.

The Early Education Teacher Development Grant (EETDG) program provides financial support opportunities and incentives to help increase the pipeline of highly-qualified California State Preschool Program and Transitional Kindergarten teachers in Butte County.

• Tuition Reimbursement and Achievement Incentives
• Connection to Future Educator Support
• Stipends for completing trainings and workshops.
• Child Development Permit Advising and Stipends

More information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JMSDQnk3JrPVyG8TqDz6HLYJsrODBbeC/view

This Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) training for Transitional Kindergarten teachers is a 6-hour virtual training specifically designed to orient TK teachers to the state requirement to use the DRDP tool to observe TK students with IEPs. It will be held via Zoom on Saturday, September 21 AND September 28 from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. Teachers must attend both 3-hour sessions for credit.

Registration: https://reg.gosignmeup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0093-0004-6399ef7202d54ecfb2cf3e1d15a72be3

NOTE: The DRDP is currently only required for CA State Preschool Program Children and children with IEPs in Pre-K, TK, and K. Some districts are opting to utilize the DRDP as a replacement for a report card in Transitional Kindergarten.

Although these videos were created for administrators these videos can also be used by UPK planning teams as well as teachers.

Foundations: Becoming an Effective Early Childhood Instructional Leader

• Video #1. An Introduction to the New UPK system in California
• Video #2. Top Tips for Administrators Becoming Effective Instructional Leaders
• Video #3. Young Children as Learners: The Critical Need to Understand Early Brain and Body Development

High-Quality Early Childhood Environments, Curriculum and Instruction

• Video #4. Arranging Engaging Environments that Support the Whole Child in Preschool
• Video #5. Individually, Developmentally, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Curriculum for Young Children
• Video #6. Effective Instructional Methods in High Quality Early Childhood Classrooms

Integrated Learning in Early Childhood: Powerful Learning Across the Domains

• Video #7. Promoting Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood
• Video #8. Promoting Scientific and Mathematical Thinking in Early Childhood
• Video #9. Creating a Caring Community of Learners: Building Social Emotional Capacities and Eliminating Exclusionary Discipline

Creating Inclusive Early Learning Environments

• Video #10. Supporting Young Children with Disabilities and/or Developmental Delays
• Video #11. Supporting Emergent Bilingual and Multilingual Young Learners
• Video #12. Supporting Healthy Racial Identity Development: Trauma-Informed Practice for Early Childhood Classrooms

Developmentally Responsive Assessment and Family Engagement

• Video #13. Authentic and Effective Assessment in Early Childhood
• Video #14. Partnering with Families in Early Childhood
• Video #15. Silo-busting: Creating Productive Partnerships between ECE and Elementary School

The Butte UPK Network needs more representation from our TK-3 partners to ensure we are effectively planning on how to support children who are 3 and 4 years an their access to UPK options in their community.

• Children can engage in a balance of teacher and child-guided playful learning
• Children explore the big ideas of the curriculum unit (e.g., Animals & Habitats) and extend their thinking about read-aloud texts through a variety of media and materials
• Learning goal is specific, but children choose their center and exercise agency in how they achieve learning goal, independently or with peers

Butte County Office of Education

Universal Prekindergarten Guiding Principles

1. Lead with a focus on equity on behalf of children, families, and programs serving young children
   
2. Approach UPK planning and implementation with a learning mindset
3. Connect partners and implementers to support and promote coherence and integration of early childhood and TK-12 systems
4. Approach UPK planning, technical assistance, and implementation as an informer and capacity builder at all levels
5. Respect and leverage the knowledge and expertise of the early learning and care and expanded learning communities

Email: mlucero@bcoe.org
Website: eeps.bcoe.org
Location: 1870 Bird Street, Oroville, CA, USA
Phone: 530-532-5763
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bcoeeeps/