Delhi Unified School District was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Packard Foundation to operate the district’s transitional kindergarten program next school year.
The Packard Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with partners around for social, cultural, and environmental change designed to improve the lives of children, families, and communities, according the foundation’s website.
DUSD Director of Curriculum Sue Gomes said parents who wish to enroll their children in TK must be five years old by Sept. 1. Currently, there are enough students enrolled for one TK class but the district is still taking enrollment applications.
DUSD will not offer dual-language English/ Spanish in the TK class.
While all school districts in Merced and Stanislaus counties are planning for TK, DUSD was the only school district in Merced County to receive the Packard Grant.  The grant will help develop professional learning communities and supplement professional development of the TK teachers. “We are working on developing the curriculum for TK,” said Gomes.

Transitional kindergarten is part of the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010. The act mandates all school districts in California begin TK classes next school year and move back the cut-off age for kindergarten enrollment from Dec. 2 to Nov. 1.

Controversy arose when funding was cut for the program in Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed state budget. School districts are now looking at ways to pay for the mandated program.