Preparing Transitional Kindergarten to 3rd Grade Educators Through Teacher Residencies

Abstract

In California, 2021 legislation expanded transitional kindergarten (TK) to be universal for all 4-year-olds by 2025–26. This expansion will require an additional 11,900 to 15,600 credentialed teachers. Given projected workforce needs and historic investments in teacher preparation, early childhood–focused residencies can help districts strategically build TK teacher workforces. This brief describes two early childhood residency programs—Fresno’s Teacher Residency Program and UCLA’s IMPACT program—to help inform the development of strong early learning–focused residencies.