More than 50 administrators, teachers and staff from several school districts gathered on the campus of Holly Avenue Elementary in Arcadia to explore L.A. County’s newest transitional kindergarten (TK) demonstration classroom, funded by Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) and developed in partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). As the fourth in a series of TK learning hubs now crisscrossing the county, the classroom will serve as a powerful catalyst for transforming how administrators and teachers understand and implement developmentally appropriate practice in TK classrooms.

“This newest demonstration classroom is an example of AUSD’s dedication to providing high-quality, developmentally appropriate learning environments to their students,” said Luis Bautista, LACOE Head Start and Early Learning Division Executive Director. “And it’s a testament to LACOE’s unwavering commitment to work hand in hand with districts, both educators and administrators, to truly support how young children learn.”

The classroom environment, designed to align with the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF), embraces a nature-inspired design that reduces overstimulation and fosters calm, joyful learning, centering intentional play as the foundation of learning.

Reflecting on the strong and supportive partnership with LACOE, AUSD Board President Leigh Chavez said, “It’s so important for us to realize that a four-year-old is not an eight-year-old, and how we interact with those littles sets those students up for success for the rest of their academic career. I appreciate so much the coaching, the support, the input and the listening.”

Representing the culmination of vision, collaboration and a deep commitment to joyful, high-quality early learning, the demonstration classroom reflects the importance of centering students in age-appropriate learning spaces that foster engagement and decision-making. Student voice is embedded in the environment, most notably in their choice of what to plant in the classroom garden, which they will now help blossom and grow.

Dr. Brent Forsee, AUSD’s Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, added, “That initial opportunity in TK is so important. If kids do not enjoy coming to school then, it’s going to be a rough go for them and it’s going to be a rough go for the students and adults who surround them. I believe this play-based model really puts that foundation not just for learning but also to enjoy school, build relationships and have accountability in that play.”

LACOE’s support to districts as they adapt to and embrace Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) also includes stipends to schools that will support the establishment of 60 “mini” demonstration classrooms, as well as training and technical support to districts funding their own re-envisioned TK learning environments. These efforts to elevate the classroom as the third teacher pair with LACOE’s professional development, coaching and more, extending the impact of intentional TK design across schools, districts and systems in support of the county’s youngest learners and their families.