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El Dorado County Office of Education - Explore UPK El Dorado (Ages 3-4)

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At Explore UPK El Dorado, we believe every child’s journey begins with a strong foundation. This guide is here to help families navigate the many early learning and child care options available, ensuring your child has the best opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive.

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Preschool TK Learning Foundations (PTKLF)

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Preschool TK Learning Foundations (PTKLF)

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The California Preschool Learning Foundations outline key knowledge and skills that most children can achieve when provided with the kinds of interactions, instruction, and environments that research has shown to promote early learning and development. The foundations can provide early childhood educators, parents, and the public with a clear understanding of the wide range of knowledge and skills that preschool children typically attain when given the benefits of a high-quality preschool program.

The foundations were developed using an inclusive and deliberative input process, including statewide stakeholder meetings, public input sessions held throughout the state, public hearings, and public comment. Input from the various review opportunities was considered and incorporated as appropriate.

California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1

On January 22, 2008, the California Department of Education (CDE) released the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume (PDF; 5MB) . Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell stated that these foundations offer our early childhood educators a clear understanding of what our youngest learners should know before entering kindergarten.

Volume 1 of the California Preschool Learning Foundations focuses on the domains of social-emotional development, language and literacy, English-language development, and mathematics. They provide a comprehensive understanding of what children learn in these four domains.

In an effort to partner with parents in the education of their preschool children, key sections of the publication are available and have been translated to support parents' understanding of the preschool learning foundations, their purpose, and what they describe as the knowledge and skills that children typically attain at 48 and 60 months of age. The translations include traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Pilipino (Tagalog), Spanish, and Vietnamese, and are based on the prevalent non-English languages spoken by parents of preschool children in California.

Foreword by former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell
Available Translations of the Foreword by former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell

Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1
Available Translations of the Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1

Appendix to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1 (DOC)
Available Translations of the Appendix to the Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1

The California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1, can be purchased from CDE Press by calling the toll-free number at 1-800-995-4099, or by ordering through the CDE Press Catalog Listings of Publications (Item Number 001681) . The price of the publication is $21.95.

Fundamentos del Aprendizaje Preescolar de California, Volumen 1 (PDF)
Spanish translation of the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1

California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2

The California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2 covers the skills and knowledge that children attain at around 36 months and 48 months in the domain areas of visual and performing arts, physical development, and health.

Foreword by former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell
Available Translations of the Foreword by former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell

Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2
Available Translations of the Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2

Appendixes to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2

The California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2, can be purchased from CDE Press by calling the toll-free number at 1-800-995-4099, or by ordering through the CDE Press Catalog Listings of Publications (Item Number 001708) . The price of the publication is $21.95.

Fundamentos del Aprendizaje Preescolar de California, Volumen 2 (PDF)
Spanish translation of the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2

California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3

The California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3 covers the skills and knowledge that children attain at around 36 months and 48 months in the domain areas of history-social science and science.

Foreword by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
Available Translations of the Foreword by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson

Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3
Available Translations of the Introduction to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3

Appendix A to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3
Available Translations of Appendix A to the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3

The California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3, can be purchased from CDE Press by calling the toll-free number at 1-800-995-4099, or by ordering through the CDE Press Catalog Listings of Publications (Item Number 001727) . The price of the publication is $21.95.

Fundamentos del Aprendizaje Preescolar de California, Volumen 3 (PDF)
Spanish translation of the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 3

Additional Resources

Further information about the Preschool Learning Foundations is provided in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document clarifying key issues for early childhood educators, administrators, and stakeholders. For information about some professional development opportunities, please refer to the California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN) .
Return to Publications
Last Reviewed: Thursday, February 23, 2023

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The foundations outline key knowledge and skills that most children can achieve when provided with the kinds of interactions, instruction, and environments that research has shown to promote early learning and development.

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Table 1.0 Overview Alignment of the Domains in the California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, the California Preschool Learning Foundations, and the California Kindergarten Content Standards 

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Table 1.0 Overview Alignment of the Domains in the California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations, the California Preschool Learning Foundations, and the California Kindergarten Content Standards 

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Adobe Scan Mar 3, 2025 - Adobe cloud storage

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The Alignment of the CA Preschool Foundations with Key Early Education Resources

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The Alignment of the CA Preschool Foundations with Key Early Education Resources

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Copy of Copy of What I'm Learning-UPK Logo Only.pdf

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Explore various teaching strategies and tools for a successful TK classroom

The term "a gift of time" is frequently used to describe Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and it tells us something important about the power of the grade. Families and educators attest to the tremendous impact the gift of the TK year has on children's school readiness. A growing body of evidence from TK classrooms across California over the last several years suggests that there are common themes that make this gift of time successful. Designed specifically for the unique needs of our youngest Kindergarteners, successful TK includes integrated, differentiated, and culturally responsive instruction, and includes strong family engagement.

Classroom Management

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

TK instruction is...

Integrated

In the early years, children learn through hands-on experience and benefit from many opportunities for practice. They strive to make connections between all the new ideas and information they are learning. The most successful teachers make a deliberate effort to reinforce connections by explicitly relating topics and incorporating rich themes into their lesson plans. Throughout each day, TK teachers integrate math, language and literacy development, social-emotional skills, and English language development.

For example, TK teachers plan lessons that allow young children to:

Absorb new vocabulary while they explore math concepts.

Practice turn-taking and cooperation while they persist through a sorting activity.

Rhyme and learn alliteration in songs and chants involving science.

Learn new academic English through meaningful play, explicit instruction, and contextualized personalized learning.

Individualized and Differentiated

In a successful TK classroom, teachers continually use observation and formative assessment to determine children's progress along the continuum of skill development and tailor their instruction to help every child flourish. They use small groups, pairs, and individual activities to personalize their classroom program and build on whole-group experiences. To maximize learning for Dual Language Learners (DLLs), TK teachers skillfully employ English Language Development (ELD) instructional strategies. Additionally, this differentiated approach to instruction facilitates the successful inclusion of children with special needs in the TK classroom.

A vibrant TK classroom is busy with activities and conversations and filled with the excitement of small groups composed of children building similar skills together. The TK teacher purposefully designs the classroom to include accessible learning centers that cultivate curiosity and reflect the beauty, strength, and capacity of all children. The teacher also thoughtfully constructs activities so that each child is challenged at the right level to build success, persist through difficulty with little frustration, and get to the next level of skill.

For example, a successful TK teacher might ask all children to find pebbles on the playground. At the same time, in carefully composed small groups, they support one group of children to sort by color while another group adds and estimates. Meanwhile, they are helping build vocabulary, comprehension, and foster cooperation. In one group they might ask for children's opinions about how to estimate with open-ended questions, and in another, they may ask children to share and describe pebbles.

The TK teacher skillfully integrates children's play into daily learning activities to support healthy cognitive, physical, social-emotional development.
"Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them." -The American Academy of Pediatrics, 2007

TK classrooms are...

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive

Successful TK classrooms support DLLs and are culturally and linguistically responsive to children from many cultures. Students thrive when teachers create a rich environment and support meaningful relationships that honor culture, ability, and home language.

Teachers should recognize that TK students who speak a language in addition to English and/or who are learning English are contributing positively to their own development and enriching the TK experience for other students. It is important for teachers to understand that DLL children demonstrate their knowledge in the language they are most comfortable in and might not have developed sufficient English language skills to feel confident to respond or fully participate.

Creating opportunities for children to participate through a variety of modes will help ensure knowledge remains accessible and the curriculum is responsive to all learners. Children's responses should be valued and respected, regardless of the language they use when responding.

Teachers should work collaboratively with parents to develop specific plans and strategies that value and support the ongoing acquisition of skills and knowledge in English and the child's home language. TK teachers can enhance this practice through systematic support of their students' use of home language to learn English. The successful teacher will build strong relationships with and between children and provide positive learning experiences that maximize their success, build on their strengths and assets, and minimize the challenges and frustration some may experience during this time. Additionally, when children are provided with multiple opportunities to express opinions and describe their lives, each child feels valued for their unique contributions to the classroom community.

For additional resources and strategies for supporting DLLs in the classroom, please visit the Multilingual Learning Toolkit, an online hub for research-based key principles, instructional strategies, and associated, free, practical, and easy-to-use resources that are geared towards educators who teach PreK-3rd Multilingual Learners.

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The term "a gift of time" is frequently used to describe Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and it tells us something important about the power of the grade. Families and educators attest to the tremendous impact the gift of the TK year has on children's school readiness.