Join the San Lorenzo Unified School District

Teacher Claire Nail holds up her arms to demonstrate the word 'underwater', which is displayed on a screen in front of a group of students sitting on the floor. — TK teacher Claire Nail teaches letters and sounds to her students at Hillside Elementary School.

The San Lorenzo Unified School District is welcoming new students in its transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten programs for the 2025-26 school year, continuing an emphasis on helping young children make a successful journey into first grade and beyond.

For the coming year, students are eligible for TK if they turn 4 by Sept. 1, 2025. Incoming kindergarten students must have been born before Sept. 2, 2019, and turn 5 by Sept. 1, 2025. San Lorenzo Schools now have a total of about 230 TK students at all nine of our elementary schools, up more than 25% from the previous year, in addition to about 480 students in kindergarten at all schools.

The district is part of a $2.7 billion statewide TK initiative, launched in 2021, which seeks to provide a bridge into classroom learning. The state will add universal preschool in 2025.

“The state essentially approved another grade level for students in California, so it’s a big move,” said Dr. Daryl Camp, SLZUSD superintendent.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Enrolling Your Child

The district is presenting FAMILY INFORMATION NIGHTS nights at all nine of its elementary schools from Jan. 15-29. Please see this informational flyer, available for download. Families unable to attend one of those sessions can visit this district webpage for step-by-step instructions on enrolling your child.

"An Extra Year of Free Education"

Teacher Christopher Auad, a 26-year veteran teacher who teaches TK at Corvallis Elementary, said the program provides children with a structured setting where students are introduced to teacher-guided learning while developing independence and social skills that prepare them for an increasingly rigorous kindergarten experience.

Calling TK “an extra year of free education,” Auad said it is definitely more than an extension of preschool.

“I tell parents it’s not baby school; it’s real school to get them ready for kindergarten,” he said. “As an educator, it’s awesome to see them have that growth and become independent, confident students ready to learn in kindergarten.”

Kindergarten teacher Stephanie Scarper reads to her students at Bay Elementary School.