Michigan Transitional Kindergarten: A First Look at Program Reach and Features
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Michigan Transitional Kindergarten: A First Look at Program Reach and Features

Published: Jan 26, 2023
Publisher: University of Michigan, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Human Services Education State and Local
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Authors

Anna Shapiro

Jordy Berne

Katia Cordoba Garcia

Brian Jacob

Tareena Musaddiq

Samuel Owusu

Christina Weiland

Key Findings
  • The majority of students in Michigan public schools are enrolled in a school district that offers a transitional kindergarten (TK) program.
  • Districts that offer TK are more likely to be in suburbs and towns and to serve fewer students historically underserved by public education systems.
  • TK primarily serves students with summer and fall birthdays.
  • Curricula and assessments vary across TK programs.
  • District leaders are overwhelmingly positive about their TK programs.

Thousands of young Michigan children attend state-funded transitional kindergarten (TK) programs. These programs are intended to provide an additional year of early education before children begin traditional kindergarten. School districts in Michigan choose whether or not to offer TK programs. This brief is part of a larger study of Michigan TK. Here, we provide the first evidence on the program’s features and reach within the state.

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