Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) is an umbrella term that encompasses the California State Preschool Program, Head Start, early learning services for students with disabilities, local community-based PK programs, private PKs, and district-run TK programs. Universal TK (UTK) refers to the goal that, by 2025-26, regardless of income, race, zip code, immigration status, every 4-year-old child in California will have access to a quality learning experience the year before K.

CTA policy supports TK for all children who will age eligible for kindergarten the following year, and the IPD department supports our early education and TK member educators in a variety of ways, including trainings, technical support, and providing bargaining guidance to ensure that early education and TK programs meet the needs of both students and educators.