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Registration is open for new students in grades TK-8 for the 2025-2026 school year! Register here.
Important Update on Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
The Mill Valley School District will be offering Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for the 2025-2026 school year. We are grateful for the community's support, including Early Education Marin’s amazing efforts and a generous $500,000 donation from Kiddo!, which made this extension possible.
At this time, we can only commit to the one-year extension which is made possible by the support of our community and budget cuts made by the district. We are committed to working on longer term solutions and advocating at the state level for TK funding for Basic Aid districts.
We understand that these past few months have been challenging and have created uncertainty for both families and preschool providers. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these transitions, and we look forward to welcoming our new four-year-old learners!
Q1: How do people submit their proof of residency? Is this needed during registration or sent in after registration?
A1: You can find all the information regarding residency verification on the Mill Valley School District’s FAQ page. Proof of residency is required during registration, and the details of what’s needed are listed on the Verification of Residency page. The Aeries portal also prompts you for the necessary documents as you register, making the process seamless!Q2: Do I need to submit immunization forms when registering?
A2: Yes, immunization records are absolutely required for registration and should be uploaded when prompted in the Aeries portal. The school nurse will review the documents, and if any required immunizations are missing, they will need to be completed before the first day of school. However, this does not affect your child’s placement, and we will confirm with parents if any issues arise.Q3: Do we need to create a login or an account on the site before registering?
A3: Yes, if this is the first time you are enrolling your child, you will need to create a login and password. This is part of the initial steps when entering the Aeries portal for registration.TK, and for a sample letter you can use, visit our website here.
TK Background
Mill Valley School District (MVSD), a Basic Aid district, is incredibly appreciative of the efforts of Early Education Marin, a parent driven fundraising effort that has raised more than $1.5 million to support the district, including a $500,000 donation from Kiddo! This extremely generous amount represents more than half of the $2.2 million operating cost for transitional kindergarten (TK) for the 2025-26 school year. This funding has enabled a one-year extension of the transitional kindergarten program.
Since there is no state funding for TK for Basic Aid districts, the Mill Valley School District is not planning TK for 2026-2027 and beyond.
When transitional kindergarten was announced by Governor Newsom, it was said to be funded. MVSD is designated as a Basic Aid funded district. About 10% of all school districts in California are also deemed Basic Aid, which means that our property taxes meet/exceed the minimum per pupil expenditure as defined by the state. The other 90% of districts are Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funded
Key Issues:
Basic Aid Status and Funding: Unlike LCFF districts, MVSD does not receive state funding for TK. Although the state mandates all districts offer TK if they offer kindergarten, Basic Aid districts like MVSD are not guaranteed funding to cover the costs of providing this program.
Financial Impact: The district has struggled with a budget deficit, and has not been able to meet the state’s recommended minimum reserve target of 25% of district expenses. While we have balanced our budget through reductions in staffing and operational costs, the staffing ratio of 1 adult to ten students required for TK is twice what is expected for a single grade level. Without state funding for TK, the district will face a budget shortfall, leading to further staff and program reductions in grades K-8.
While the district recognizes the benefits of TK, we cannot afford to implement the program without state support. We are grateful to our community for its support of TK for the 2025-2026 school year.
Transitional Kindergarten FAQs
What is the district’s TK vision? What resources do we have that speak to the curriculum, standards and philosophy of TK?
Transitional Kindergarten is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. The district’s TK is guided by the Preschool Learning Foundations. This offers a play-based program focusing on interpersonal relationships, social-emotional learning, fine and gross motor growth, and classroom independence. Instruction is provided in small and large groups. Mill Valley TK classes also offer Kiddo-funded programs such as art, music and dance, PTA-funded opportunities such as garden, and district-funded classes such as physical education.
What are the birth date cutoff requirements for TK enrollment
Children eligible for TK in California will have their 4th birthday by September 1, 2025.
When will registration for TK be opened?
We will be opening TK registration on March 26, 2025.
Which campuses will potentially be able to offer TK? What are the classroom allocations by site?
Classrooms will be allocated annually when we know projected TK-5 enrollment. All campuses except Old Mill will have at least one TK class.
Will families be able to choose the school they wish their child to attend?
As with the rest of our District’s elementary placement process, parents will have the opportunity to state their preferences for school sites when registering for TK; however, TK is not offered at every site and class placement will continue to be based on available spaces and district needs. We do not offer a waitlist for TK.
When will I know what school my child will attend?
We hope to notify families of their school placement by early June 2025. Families registering after the last day of the current school year (June 13) will be notified of their school assignment prior to the opening of school (August 21).
What are Other Marin County Districts doing for TK? How are they funding programs when Mill Valley cannot?
Approximately 17% of California school districts do not offer TK. In Marin County alone, implementation of TK varies widely. School Districts that have the same funding structure as the Mill Valley School District, like Larkspur-Corte Madera School District and Ross School District, also do not offer TK. Others operate part-day programs in lieu of full day programming.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Superintendent Kaufman, along with school Board Trustees Nakatani and Katz, and MVSD staff members, had the opportunity to meet with a dedicated team from Early Education Marin. During the meeting, they discussed a variety of important topics surrounding Transitional Kindergarten, addressing questions and providing valuable insights into this crucial program. One exciting possibility that was explored was the chance to offer Transitional Kindergarten for an additional year, contingent on the success of the community’s ongoing fundraising efforts. If the community comes together to raise the necessary funds, this extended option could allow more children to benefit from this essential early learning experience. To learn more, you can view the full video of the meeting below.
Transitional Kindergarten Update
Our mission in the Mill Valley School District is to provide a safe, inclusive, and enriching environment for every student. You play an essential role in your child's education, and we are here to work with you every step of the way. Together, we will create an environment where your child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
As many of you know, early childhood education is incredibly important in laying the foundation for future learning. While we are deeply committed to providing young learners with the opportunity to develop key skills, we want to be transparent that, due to current budget constraints, we are facing challenges in offering our Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program for the upcoming school year.
Over the last several months, we have developed an annual budget that allows us to preserve our K-8 programming, which is focused on providing excellent instructors and small classroom sizes as prioritized by parents. Funding for an all-day TK program for the 220 projected students is estimated at $2.2 million. We simply do not have the funds to cover this without additional layoffs, increases in classroom sizes, and reducing programs that serve our 2,300 students.
We are incredibly grateful for the support of families and Kiddo! who are working on community funding of this program. We are also talking with the California Department of Education about TK mandates and seeking their assistance to help us comply with the law and to advocate for full funding of TK.
The FAQs below have been prepared to answer questions you might have about enrolling in our transitional kindergarten program. These will be updated as we get more information, so please do check them frequently.
We deeply appreciate your understanding and collaboration as we navigate these challenges. Our commitment remains to provide a thriving educational environment where all students can thrive.
TK FAQs - March 14, 2025
What is the district’s TK vision? What resources do we have that speak to the curriculum, standards and philosophy of TK?
Transitional Kindergarten is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. The district’s TK is guided by the Preschool Learning Foundations. This offers a play-based program focusing on interpersonal relationships, social-emotional learning, fine and gross motor growth, and classroom independence. Instruction is provided in small and large groups. Mill Valley TK classes also offer Kiddo-funded programs such as art, music and dance, PTA-funded opportunities such as garden, and district-funded classes such as physical education.
What are the birthdate cutoff requirements for TK enrollment
Children eligible for TK in California will have their 4th birthday by September 1, 2025.
Is TK registration for 2025-26 actually open?
Not at this time. Parents who want to be notified that registration is open can sign up on the form linked here. TK registration is completed through the same system as K-5 registration, so we are not able to open a provisional registration. Registration can only open if the Board takes action to reinstate TK for the 2025-2026 school year.
Which campuses will potentially be able to offer TK? What are the classroom allocations by site?
We currently have seven TK classrooms districtwide, with two at Edna Maguire, two at Park, two at Tam Valley, and one at Strawberry. Due to facility and capacity constraints, we are currently not able to offer a TK classroom at Old Mill. The location of additional TK classrooms will be determined once we know how many K-5 classrooms are needed at each elementary school site.
Will families be able to choose the school they wish their child to attend?
As with the rest of our District’s elementary placement process, parents will have the opportunity to state their preferences for school sites when registering for TK; however, TK is not offered at every site and class placement will continue to be based on available spaces and district needs. We do not offer a waitlist for TK.
When will I know what school my child will attend?
We hope to notify families of their school placement by early June 2025. Families registering after the last day of the current school year (June 13) will be notified of their school assignment prior to the opening of school (August 21).
How many students does the district anticipate would enroll if TK is offered?
For the current school year, in which only those students who would be turning 4 by June 2, 2025 were eligible to enroll in TK, we have 153 students. Based on the broader eligibility window, we expect this number may jump as high as 220 students for the coming school year.
Should families consider pre-enrolling at local preschools? Most are asking for non-refundable deposits. Would the district be able to request that preschools extend their deadlines for enrollment?
Each family should determine whether to enroll at a local preschool as either their primary or alternative based on their own family’s and child’s needs. Unfortunately, we don’t have control over requirements that private preschools may have with regard to their required deadlines and deposits. We are in close communication with local preschools because we want to ensure families have options for their four year olds for the coming school year.
We would love to provide certainty for what we will be able to have in place, however, that is largely dependent on the success of fundraising efforts to support continuing TK for the 25-26 school year.
Which teachers will be used? Will the original TK teachers return, or will staffing be rehired?
Due to a number of factors, including staff transfers that are covered under our collective bargaining agreements with our unions (MVTA and CSEA), we can never guarantee which staff will be in a role or school site for the following school year. We will have a certificated teacher and a classroom aide in each of the TK classrooms.
If TK is preserved in MV for the 25-26 school year, what will happen to it after?
The Early Childhood Marin fundraising efforts would address continuing TK only for the 25-26 school year.
What are Other Marin County Districts doing for TK? How are they funding programs when Mill Valley cannot?
Approximately 17% of California school districts do not offer TK. In Marin County alone, implementation of TK varies widely. School Districts that have the same funding structure as the Mill Valley School District, like Larkspur-Corte Madera School District and Ross School District, also do not offer TK. Others operate part-day programs in lieu of full day programming.What are Other Marin County Districts doing for TK? How are they funding programs when Mill Valley cannot?
Approximately 17% of California school districts do not offer TK. In Marin County alone, implementation of TK varies widely. School Districts that have the same funding structure as the Mill Valley School District, like Larkspur-Corte Madera School District and Ross School District, also do not offer TK. Others operate part-day programs in lieu of full day programming.Will you consider opening enrollment, so you have an accurate headcount?
Board action is required to open enrollment for TK. We understand that opening enrollment would provide an accurate head count for 25/26 TK attendance, and that this information could be used to make informed choices and assist with planning.Would you consider funding the deficit with reserves?
The District must meet its own minimum reserve policy and maintain its reserves. The District’s reserve policy identifies a range of 25-35% with a target of 30%. Standard and Poors expects at least a 22% reserve to maintain our AAA bond rating. Funding ongoing programs from “one-time” reserves is not an effective budget management practice.What is the District’s position on the Marin County Office of Education and California Dept. of Education and a potential lawsuit?
We cannot comment on potential litigation. We are in conversation with the Marin County Office of Education, California Department of Education, California School Boards’ Association, and Schools for Sound Finance, to gain further clarity on requirements for Basic Aid districts to provide full-day TK programs when receiving no State funding. We will comply with all legal requirements. We recognize that no one wins with lawsuits and believe that Mill Valley students deserve their school District’s money to be spent on them, their classrooms and their schools - not on litigation.
