Register for Universal TK 24/25

Register for Universal Transitional Kindergarten - 2024/25 School Year

Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) is Manteca Unified's free transitional kindergarten program. UTK is highly recommended and provides early education opportunities for younger children. The program is centered on early childhood development with an emphasis on literacy, math readiness, play, and social-emotional growth.

UTK Offers

Free, full-day learning opportunities, A lower staff-to-student ratio, Curriculum aligned with instruction up to 3rd grade

UTK Eligibility

Students are eligible for UTK based on age. If your child will turn 5 years old between September 2, 2024, and June 2, 2025, they are eligible for UTK! All age-eligible children within MUSD boundary areas can attend a UTK program!

If your child’s school of residence does not offer UTK or is impacted, the attendance clerk at your school of residence will help locate another school within your region for enrollment. All registered students will be required to attend a school in their designated UTK region.

UTK Regions — *indicates UTK is offered at the School

Weston Ranch	August Knodt, Great Valley*, French Camp, George Komure
Lathrop	Joseph Widmer, Lathrop*, Mossdale
South of 120	Nile Garden, Veritas*, Walter Woodward
Manteca	George McParland, Golden West, Joshua Cowell, Neil Hafley, New Haven
Central Manteca	Brock Elliott, Lincoln, Sequoia, Shasta, Stella Brockman

How to Enroll for UTK

Please use the School Site Locator tool to confirm your child’s school of residence prior to pre-enrolling your child in the Q portal below.

Once you click on the Q portal button, you will fill out pre-enrollment information and upload required documents. Once you have submitted the required information and documents in Q, you will be alerted that you have successfully pre-enrolled your child and will receive a confirmation email. 

Click the Q Pre-Enrollment button below to access the portal:

Once you have submitted the required information and

After pre-enrolling your child in Q, the attendance clerk at your school of residence will contact you to set up an in-person registration appointment to verify required documents. 

Documents that must be brought during your registration appointment include: 

Immunization records (View a list of required vaccinations | En Espanol)
Child’s birth certificate  
Authorization for Medication Administration (if applicable)

Please Note: MUSD does not provide transportation to UTK. Families must transport their children.

Enrolling Students for Success

What’s Unique about the UTK Program?

Allison Guzman, Lincoln Elementary

The UTK program has made quality early education more accessible to families in our community. With this new group of younger students, we, the UTK teachers, get the opportunity to provide these children with play-based experiences and exposure to school materials. UTK is not the first year of a 2-year kindergarten program, but a unique, meaningful learning experience.

Why Are Early Learning Opportunities Important?

Debbie Hightower, Lathrop Elementary

A fantastic aspect of UTK is that it provides a foundation for later learning. Children acquire basic knowledge (including colors, shapes, numbers, and letters) while gaining confidence and self-sufficiency, which truly sets them up for success in kindergarten. The program encourages social development (how to have a good relationship with others, how to share and take turns, how to solve conflicts with others, how to problem solve a particular issue, how to compromise etc.) and allows children to become comfortable being away from their family while at school.

Allison Guzman, Lincoln Elementary

Coming from teaching kindergarten the past three years, I feel that I can say kindergarten is HARD! In kindergarten students must learn to self-regulate, problem-solve, communicate, and share while also learning how to read, write, add, and subtract. Providing an opportunity such as UTK to young students provides a safe, developmentally-appropriate environment for students to learn about themselves, others, and the world around them. We are giving students a head-start to becoming successful and reaching their full potential.

Why is UTK Recommended?

Margie Morris, French Camp Elementary

I feel it is crucial for children to prepare themselves for Kindergarten and the future of education. The children in my class are learning how to socialize with other children, learn about a school campus, meet other educators who will be their teachers in the years to come, and learn appropriate ways to act in school. As a parent, I would want my children to get the best education possible, and I feel UTK is the best possible education for 4 year-old children.

UTK students work with paper and pencils

Marissa Stough, Shasta Elementary

By enrolling their children in UTK, parents can trust that students will be given appropriate time to adjust to school rules and expectations, interacting with other students, listening to a teacher, doing work/projects, as well as develop skills such as using scissors and holding a pencil. This program is an opportunity for learning through hands-on and play-based activities that are fun and familiar!

Amy Zachreus, Golden West Elementary

I feel that UTK is such an important part of a child’s first experience in a school environment. It prepares them in so many ways to have a successful career as a student. Since the focus is on social/emotional learning which encompasses many areas, children are learning to experience purposeful play in a variety of settings. They problem solve with one another and practice using dialogue to carry on conversations! They have opportunities to work cooperatively with one another and build friendships, vocabulary, and skills to help them throughout their schooling. I am so blessed to work with these children, it has been a really positive experience for me as I come to the close of my teaching career.

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