California has fully implemented Universal Transitional Kindergarten, making free pre-K available to every 4-year-old, and is providing two free school meals each day to every public school student, according to the Office of the Governor.
The Universal TK program saves families an average of nearly $14,000 per child annually. California enrolled 213,313 children in transitional kindergarten during the 2024–25 school year. Since 2019, California has invested $12.5 billion to implement the program statewide, making California home to the nation's largest pre-K system. Research cited by the state shows that children who attend preschool benefit from stronger brain development and improved learning outcomes, with California TK students entering kindergarten approximately six months ahead in letter-word skills and three months ahead in applied mathematics.
Through the Universal Meals Program, California has served nearly 3.5 billion free school meals. The state has also expanded before- and after-school and summer programs with $4.6 billion in ongoing funding in 2025–26.
California has invested $4.7 billion in school-based mental health services, placing more than 4,000 trained professionals in schools and community organizations. The state has also invested in literacy support, with more than 800 high-need elementary schools now supported by literacy coaches and reading specialists.
The state reports that test scores have improved across all subjects and grade levels, with particularly strong gains among Black and Latino students and continued improvement among socioeconomically disadvantaged students.