Larry Klein
Mayor
Linda Sell
Vice Mayor
Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember
Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember
Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember
Charlsie Chang
Councilmember
Eileen Le
Councilmember
April 24, 2025
T
he Honorable Dawn Addis
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 4120
Sacramento, CA 95814
R
E: AB 1391 (Addis) Universal Funding for Universal Transitional Kindergarten (as Amended March 24, 2025) – SUPPORT
D
ear Assemblymember Addis:
O
n behalf of the City of Sunnyvale, we want to express our support for AB 1391 which would provide universal funding for universal transitional kindergarten (UTK).
A
B 1391 provides a fair and urgently needed solution by creating a mechanism to ensure community-funded districts receive the same UTK support as our state-funded peers. This bill aligns with the state’s goal of UTK by making it genuinely accessible and sustainable for every district, regardless of their funding structure.
F
or the past decade, Sunnyvale schools have been left to fund transitional kindergarten (TK) out of existing resources, the vast majority of which, like any other school, are dedicated to existing teachers and support staff. This cost has become increasingly impossible to bear as more students have become eligible for TK, reaching full implementation next school year.
C
urrent City of Sunnyvale policy places a high priority on supporting efforts to improve the availability and quality of education made available in Sunnyvale, supporting educational reforms that will cost-effectively result in better education and supporting reforms to the State’s school formula based upon average daily attendance to recognize actual needs of funding for schools (Sunnyvale City Council Goal 5.1E and Policies 5.1E.1 and 5.1E.4). We believe universal transitional kindergarten accomplishes this goal and helps California’s youth to excel in school. The City also partners with and supports the Sunnyvale Elementary School District’s educational and enrichment programs and activities.
Attachment 4
The Honorable Dawn Addis, State Assembly
April 24, 2025
The City’s support of this bill extends as proposed-to-be-amended by your committee to provide for an open bidding process. Universal transitional kindergarten is important to our community, and universal funding is needed to provide this service.
For these reasons, we express our support for AB 1391. Thank you for your consideration of our position. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Michelle Perera, Director of Library and Recreation Services, [email protected], if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larry Klein
Mayor
cc: The Honorable Al Muratsuchi, Chair, Assembly Education Committee City Council
Tim Kirby, City Manager
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Michelle Perera, Director of Library and Recreation Services Michael Gallagher, Ed.D., Superintendent Sunnyvale School District
Attachment 4