A New Model for Expanding P–3 Leadership Development in California

California’s Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) represents one of the most ambitious expansions of public education in the state’s history, but most elementary school principals lack specific background training in early childhood education curriculum and P–3 (preschool to 3rd grade) leadership. This brief provides education leaders with a scalable strategy for embedding effective P–3 leadership training into existing professional learning and credentialing systems, without adding new administrative burdens.