March 27, 2026

Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Approved List of Screening Instruments for Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learners

Pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 48004(b)(1)(A) and subject to the approval of the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to select a list of screening instruments for identifying transitional kindergarten (TK) students who may benefit from additional English Language Development support.

Following a comprehensive review process and approval by the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, the California Department of Education (CDE) has selected two screening instruments that meet the five statutory requirements in EC Section 48004(d): psychometric properties demonstrating validity and reliability, developmental appropriateness for children ages four and five years, capability for multilingual administration, feasibility for administration by classroom teachers or other school staff, and compliance with non-discrimination standards.

The following screening instruments have been selected:

Vendor/Publisher	Screening Instrument	Languages Available
Ballard & Tighe Publishers	IPT Early Childhood	English and Spanish
Data Recognition Corporation	preLAS	English and Spanish

The CDE will begin the process of acquiring the screening instruments and any training materials from the above selected vendor/publisher for use by and free of cost to local educational agencies (LEAs). Assuming that the CDE is able to reasonably acquire the screening and training materials for use by and free of cost to LEAs, beginning in the 2026–27 school year, any LEAs selected to voluntarily conduct field tests may utilize the screening instruments and training materials.

Beginning in the 2027–28 school year, all LEAs serving students in TK must screen TK students whose primary language is a language other than English (as indicated on a home language survey administered upon enrollment) and are required to identify whether additional English language development support would be beneficial (EC Section 48004[c][1][a]). These LEAs can use the acquired screening instruments and training materials free of cost.

Information about ordering screening materials and accessing training will be provided following the CDE’s acquisition of the screening and training materials for use by LEAs.

Note: Results of screening administered pursuant to EC Section 48004 shall not be used for any of the following:

• To identify a pupil as an English Learner pursuant to EC Section 306.
• Any high-stakes purpose, including (but not limited to) teacher or other school staff evaluation, accountability, pupil grade promotion or retention, identification for gifted or talented education, reclassification of English Learners, or identification as an individual with exceptional needs.

Detailed information about each screening instrument, implementation guidance, and frequently asked questions will be posted on the CDE TK Multilingual Learner Screening web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ml/tkmultilinguallearnerscreening.asp. Please watch for announcements of informational webinars to support LEA implementation planning.

Ensuring that California's youngest multilingual learners receive the support they need to thrive is a critical component of our commitment to equity in education. I am confident that these screening instruments will help educators identify and support TK students as they begin their educational journeys.

If you have questions, please contact the Language Policy and Leadership Office at LPLO@cde.ca.gov or 916-319-0845.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction