TK in Salinas, CA: 36 Campuses With Transitional Kindergarten

Eligibility

Who can start TK in 2027–28?

Children who turn 4 by September 1, 2027 can start, and it’s free.

Age

Is my child old enough?

A birthday from September 2, 2022 through September 1, 2023 (our arithmetic from the rule). A child who turns 5 by September 1 starts kindergarten instead.

Rule: California Education Code § 48000 (opens in a new tab)

Cost

Does TK cost anything?

No. TK is a free public school year before kindergarten, and enrolling is optional. Hours, before- and after-school care and open seats vary by campus, so ask the school.

Starting ages and cutoff dates →

Where to enroll

Through 7 school districts, or a charter

Salinas City Elementary: 14 of 36
Alisal Union: 12 of 36
Santa Rita Union Elementary: 4 of 36
North Monterey County Unified: 2 of 36
Charter schools apply directly: 1 of 36

3 more districts are named on their campuses below.

Campuses

Which Salinas campuses have a TK class?

36 campuses in Salinas had a TK class in 2025–26.

Campuses by ZIP code

939016 campuses · 160 in TK

40in TK
Lincoln Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 78Solid · 64th percentile
40in TK
Mission Park Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 71Developing · 27th percentile
33in TK
Monterey Park Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 11th percentile
23in TK
University Park Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 71Developing · 27th percentile
20in TK
Roosevelt Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 66Needs Support · 3rd percentile
4in TK
Monterey County Home CharterCharter
Grades TK–12 · Monterey County Office of Education · Check how it admits students.
No score

9390512 campuses · 456 in TK

60in TK
Bardin Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 15th percentile
51in TK
Frank Paul Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 71Developing · 26th percentile
50in TK
Sherwood Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 7th percentile
40in TK
Fremont Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 15th percentile
40in TK
Monte Bella Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 76Solid · 54th percentile
39in TK
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 72Developing · 33rd percentile
39in TK
Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 72Developing · 28th percentile
38in TK
Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 72Developing · 29th percentile
32in TK
Dr. Oscar F. Loya Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 21st percentile
27in TK
Los Padres Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 76Solid · 55th percentile
20in TK
Alisal Community
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 71Needs Support · 24th percentile
20in TK
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 75Developing · 47th percentile

9390610 campuses · 352 in TK

48in TK
La Joya Elementary
Grades TK–5 · Santa Rita Union Elementary
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 11th percentile
48in TK
New Republic Elementary
Grades TK–5 · Santa Rita Union Elementary
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 18th percentile
39in TK
Creekside Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 72Developing · 32nd percentile
38in TK
Henry F. Kammann Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 20th percentile
35in TK
Natividad Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 4th percentile
34in TK
McKinnon
Grades TK–5 · Santa Rita Union Elementary
Scope Score 68Needs Support · 10th percentile
33in TK
John E. Steinbeck Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Alisal Union
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 17th percentile
32in TK
Santa Rita Elementary
Grades TK–5 · Santa Rita Union Elementary
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 11th percentile
26in TK
El Gabilan Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 65Needs Support · 1st percentile
19in TK
Loma Vista Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 5th percentile

939076 campuses · 163 in TK

39in TK
Prunedale Elementary
Grades TK–6 · North Monterey County Unified
Scope Score 71Developing · 25th percentile
34in TK
Echo Valley Elementary
Grades TK–6 · North Monterey County Unified
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 12th percentile
31in TK
Boronda Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 77Solid · 59th percentile
30in TK
Boronda Meadows
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 71Needs Support · 24th percentile
19in TK
Laurel Wood Elementary
Grades TK–6 · Salinas City Elementary
Scope Score 71Needs Support · 23rd percentile
10in TK
Lagunita Elementary
Grades TK–5 · Lagunita Elementary
Scope Score 74Developing · 42nd percentile

939081 campus · 40 in TK

40in TK
Toro Park Elementary
Grades TK–3 · Washington Union Elementary
No score

939121 campus · 10 in TK

10in TK
Monterey County Special Education
Grades TK–12 · Monterey County Office of Education
No score

Each campus’s TK headcount is from the state’s 2025–26 October enrollment count. Each Scope Score and percentile compares a school’s elementary grades with California elementary schools. A campus without elementary results shows none.

Each headcount counts the students enrolled on one October day, so it shows who enrolled, not seats open now. A campus missing here may still run TK; confirm with the school or district.

Before TK

Too young for TK? Where can my child go?

Salinas has 177 licensed child care programs.

child care centers

135

family child care homes

A child born after September 1, 2023 isn’t old enough for TK in 2027–28. Until they are, look at Salinas’s centers and family child care homes, and ask each one about ages and openings.

Preschools in Salinas Pre-K vs TK vs preschool in California: a 2026 parent’s guide

Licensed programs from the California Community Care Licensing Division: child care centers as of August 13, 2026, family child care homes as of May 25, 2025. A license is not a quality rating or a current opening.

Put a map of these campuses on your website

<iframe
  src="https://schoolscope.co/embed/tk-map?city=salinas"
  width="100%" height="420" loading="lazy"
  style="border:1px solid #ccc;border-radius:8px"
  title="Transitional kindergarten campuses in Salinas, CA: map by SchoolScope">
</iframe>
<p><small>TK data: <a href="https://schoolscope.co/ca/tk/salinas">SchoolScope — TK campuses in Salinas</a>,
from California Dept. of Education 2025–26 October enrollment count.</small></p>

Free to embed with the credit link. Data updates automatically.

Data source: California Department of Education (opens in a new tab) · October enrollment count 2025–26. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from the state’s files. How Scope Scores work

36 of Salinas’s public and charter campuses ran a TK class in 2025–26, enrolling 1,181 four-year-olds.

Is my child old enough?

Does TK cost anything?

Through 7 school districts, or a charter

Monterey County Home CharterCharter