Transitional kindergarten at the San Francisco Unified School District will now be free for families and students during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law, the district has seen an increase in enrollment. It received almost 2,000 applications, 600 more than the prior academic year.
According to SFUSD figures, free tuition has led to a 10% increase in applications for TK students for the 2025-2026 school year.
"San Francisco has its first year of elementary school as transitional kindergarten, and the other benefit of that is that TK students don't have to reapply for kindergarten the following year. That used to be the case, and it's not the case," said Eric Cuentos of the SFUSD.
Some parents have said they now plan to save the money they would have used for TK tuition for their students' other academic goals.
When Gov. Newsom signed the law, he said, "In California, we are committed to transforming our public schools to promote equity, inclusivity and opportunity for every student."
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