Budget Cuts May Affect California's Transitional Kindergarten Program
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — An innovative program that would help children transition into kindergarten may be put on hold as California works to bridge its budget deficit.
Under a new law that's being phased in over the next few years, children will need be five years old by Sept. 1 in order to be enrolled in school.
Districts will be required to have transitional kindergarten or "TK" programs for the 125,000 children who miss the cutoff.
Gov. Brown has proposed cutting state funds to pay for the program, which would put the burden on individual districts.
Some educators say 2012 could become a lost year for kids whose parents don't have money for a private pre-kindergarten program.
