As California continues to expand access to transitional kindergarten (TK), new research from the Public Policy Institute of California finds benefits and potential pitfalls should burgeoning trends go unaddressed. For instance, TK leads to earlier identification of multilingual students in need of English language support — as well as quicker reclassification of English learner (EL) students — in early grades. However, authors of the study, Assessing Transitional Kindergarten’s Impact on Elementary School Trajectories, also noted the possibility that TK students are overidentified as ELs. TK participation also leads to earlier identification of special education needs, particularly for autism and speech/language impairments, which are identified for TK students roughly half a grade earlier than for students who do not enroll in TK. “To the extent that earlier identification is used to provide additional years of services that benefit students with disabilities, this is a promising effect of the TK program,” researchers wrote.