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Washington State Transition to Kindergarten and Kindergarten Guide Now Available
A cover image of the Washington State Transition to Kindergarten and Kindergarten Guide

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Early Learning Team has released the new Washington State Transition to Kindergarten and Kindergarten Guide, which was designed to support strong beginnings and successful transitions for our youngest learners.

The guide was developed with Educational Service Districts, early childhood educators, TK and kindergarten teachers, coaches, administrators, and higher education partners across the state. The guide offers evidence-based support for creating developmentally appropriate, inclusive, play-based classrooms that support the whole child, family engagement, effective assessment, and strong teaching practices.

Three free Canvas courses accompany the guide, which was designed for anyone who works with TK or kindergarten students. The courses are self-paced and fully asynchronous, with no due dates or required timelines (OSPI recommends completing them in order).

The courses include:

Course One: Foundations of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in TK and Kindergarten (5 clock hours) covers the guide's first chapter.

Course Two: Designing Effective Learning Environments in TK and Kindergarten (5 clock hours) covers the second chapter.

Course Three: Intentional and Play-Based Instructional Practices in TK and Kindergarten (7 clock hours) covers chapters three through seven.

OSPI is also releasing free, printable Professional Learning Community (PLC) guides for each chapter, which are meant to support structured collaboration during ESD, district, or school-led training. Guides for chapters one through three are available now. Guides for chapters four through seven are in development and expected during the 2026-27 school year.

These resources provide TK and kindergarten educators practical tools to strengthen play-based learning in the classroom, supporting the kind of strong early foundation that helps every student thrive.

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