What is the difference between pre-k and transitional kindergarten?

[Jai]

The name says it all. I have just started hearing the term "transitional" and i just wanted clarification. Is there a difference?

[HIU8]

In DD's school, PreK is the class for 4 yr old children. Those children who are 4 by Sept 1st of a given year. Transitional K is a step between PreK and K. It's for any child who, after going through preK, is not ready for K (for whatever reason). It ends up being a lot of kids with summer bdays and kids with minor delays (at least at DD's school).

[boltfam]

I have heard many different names for Pre-k including DK (developmental kindergarten)and young 5s, so I would guess that transitional kindergarten is probably the same thing as Pre-k. I used to always think that Pre-k was preschool but DS's school refers to Pre-k as the class for children in between preschool and kindergarten.

[daisymommy]

I agree with HIU8.
Here, Pre-K is for 4 year olds. DS then did a year of "transitional school" when he was 5, due to having a Summer birthday, and being very immature with some delays. His teachers did not feel he was ready for Kindergarten. They did academic activities that were akin to what we did as kids in Kindy, but not as advanced as most schools do now, it was a small class 8-10 I think, they taught more school-ish skills to help prepare the kids for Kindy (like standing in line, raising hands). It was a nice extra year for DS.

[speo]

In my area/school district, pre-K would be done at a preschool. It would most likely be the year before K. Our school district has a Transitional/Junior K program that is free for all fall bdays. Those kids are in the school system and usually go on to K. If the teacher agrees and parents want to, they can skip K and go to 1st when they are done with that year.