As California embraces universal transitional kindergarten, the state's other child-care workers are struggling

In California, the implementation of universal transitional kindergarten (TK) for all 4-year-olds this year has brought both benefits and challenges to the state's early child care sector. UC Berkeley researcher Anna Powell and her team found that TK enrollment accounted for 31% of the market share for 4-year-old care in 2025, leading to a decline in enrollment at non-TK early child care centers.

While TK is free for all families, regardless of income, subsidies for non-TK options do exist but are not easily accessible to everyone. The shift to TK has created a dilemma for child care providers, who must restructure their operations within a few years. Researchers observed that while a higher proportion of 3-year-olds were expected to fill the freed-up slots, the number of 3-year-olds remained stable, and even the enrollment of younger toddlers rose slightly.

To adapt to these changes, child care providers require specialized training, a different physical setup, and increased staffing, as younger children need a lower child-to-caregiver ratio and specialized equipment. Powell suggests that the California state government should provide parallel investments, such as expanding subsidies for non-TK care, grants for facility changes, and increased collaboration between providers to ensure a smooth transition for the entire child care sector and the dedicated workforce of early educators.