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TK Multilingual Students FAQs

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about transitional kindergarten (TK) multilingual students regarding the Home Language Survey, English Language Acquisition Status, assessment, funding, accountability, language services, & compliance & monitoring.

These FAQs are intended to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in implementing changes to California Education Code (EC) sections 60810 and 313 as a result of Assembly Bill (AB) 2268, which exempts TK students from the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) effective in the 2024–25 school year. Applicable legal citations are included.

  1. Introduction
  2. Home Language Survey (HLS)
  3. English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS)
  4. Assessment
  5. Funding
  6. Accountability
  7. Language Services
  8. Compliance and Monitoring

Introduction

  1. What changes occurred in EC sections 60810 and 313 as a result of AB 2268?
  2. Does the California Department of Education (CDE) have an FAQs for Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) and TK?

Home Language Survey (HLS)

  1. Should the HLS be conducted during TK enrollment?
  2. Do LEAs need to provide English language development (ELD) based solely on the responses of the HLS?
  3. Does the LEA send out annual notifications to TK students?
  4. When can parents make changes to the HLS?
  5. What will LEAs do with the information from the HLS?
  6. What are the procedures for TK children who are also enrolled in a California State Preschool Program (CSPP) for Extended Learning and Care?

English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS)

  1. How should we handle the ELAS field for TK students in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)?
  2. What happens if a student enrolls in TK, completes the HLS, and then moves to another district for kindergarten?

Assessment

  1. How should LEAs identity TK students needing additional language support?
  2. Is there a required ELD assessment for TK students whose primary language has been identified as a language other than English?
  3. What should be done if a student moves from kindergarten to TK after being assessed?

Funding

  1. How will the changes to English learner identification affect LEA funding?
  2. Are multilingual TK students with a “To Be Determined (TBD)” status in CALPADS eligible for participation in the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP)?

Accountability

  1. How does EC sections 60810 and 313 (AB 2268) affect the classification and reporting of Long-Term English Learners (LTEL) on the Dashboard?
  2. How will changes in the English learner (EL) identification affect the California School Dashboard reporting?

Language Services

  1. Should TK students with a "TBD" indicator in ELAS receive designated ELD services?
  2. What professional development opportunities are available for teachers to learn best practices for ELD in TK?
  3. How can we ensure proper communication with parents about their child’s language support needs?
  4. What are the key developmental milestones for TK students in terms of language acquisition, and how is progress monitored?

Compliance and Monitoring

  1. How will the changes in the EL identification impact federal program monitoring?
Questions:   Language Policy & Leadership Office | 916-319-0845
Last Reviewed: Thursday, February 13, 2025
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