We appreciate the continued engagement, openness, and thoughtful feedback from our families and staff as we work to strengthen our early learning experiences for all students. We recognize that perspectives on full-day kindergarten vary, and we value the trust our community places in us as we move forward with care and intention.

At its recent meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to continue and expand the full-day kindergarten pilot. For the 2026–27 school year, the following schools will implement the full-day kindergarten model:

• Aviara Oaks Elementary School
• Buena Vista Elementary School
• Calavera Hills Elementary School
• Hope Elementary School
• Jefferson Elementary School

This expansion will allow us to continue refining the program and collecting data to better understand its impact on student learning and development.

In the coming weeks, we will share information about a brief School of Choice request window for incoming kindergarten families who may wish to request placement into or out of a pilot school. Pilot schools will also share more detailed site-specific information as we finalize implementation plans.

We will continue to post updates on this page as more information becomes available. If you have questions, please contact your school principal or Kimberly Fuentes, Director of Elementary Education, at kfuentes@carlsbadusd.net.

Following the Board of Trustees’ March 11 decision, Trustees have continued to consider feedback from the community and staff, including interest in continuing or expanding the full-day kindergarten pilot.

To support next steps, the district will gather additional input through a follow-up survey running from March 23 through April 1. The survey will be shared with current kindergarten families, current TK families, incoming pre-enrolled TK and kindergarten families, and teachers.

At this time, schools will continue with Kindergarten Roundup and enrollment as planned. Updates will be shared as they become available. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Over the past year, the Carlsbad Unified School District explored the possibility of expanding to a full-day kindergarten model. The goal of this work was to better understand the potential benefits, challenges, and resources needed to support a full kindergarten day.

At the March 11, 2026 meeting of the Board of Trustees, the Board reviewed the findings from the pilot program, community feedback, and research on full-day kindergarten. After discussion, the Board voted not to move forward with a full-day kindergarten program at this time.

For the 2026–27 school year, all Carlsbad Unified elementary schools will continue to offer kindergarten using the Early Bird/Late Owl schedule.

Families interested in enrolling a child in kindergarten are encouraged to attend their school’s Kindergarten Round-Up event, where they will learn more about the kindergarten program, meet staff, and receive information about registration.

For additional information about kindergarten enrollment, please visit the Enrollment section on the CUSD website or contact your neighborhood school.

We are grateful to the teachers, staff, families, and students who participated in the pilot program and shared feedback throughout this process. 

Carlsbad Unified launched a Full-Day Kindergarten Pilot at Jefferson and Hope Elementary Schools beginning in the 2025–2026 school year. All kindergarten classes at both pilot schools follow the 1st-5th grade schedule.

A presentation of the pilot program will be shared with the School Board at their March 11, 2026 meeting. At that meeting, the Board will make a determination of the proposed Kindergarten schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. All school sites will hold their kindergarten information sessions after that meeting date.

What’s Happening Now

A Kindergarten Task Force comprised of pilot and non-pilot kindergarten teachers, TK and first-grade teachers for vertical alignment, MTSS teachers, a counselor, administrators, special education representatives (school psychologist, SLP, education specialist, SDC teacher), and the CUTA (union) president. This team works collaboratively to plan, identify and address barriers, and determine success indicators for the program.

Key Information

• Under California state guidelines, kindergarten is included in K–3 class size averages, capped at 24:1 per school site.
• CUSD is collaborating with district leadership and the teachers' union to ensure appropriate class sizes, staffing, and instructional support.

Our Goal

To offer an engaging, developmentally appropriate extended-day kindergarten program where students thrive, and teachers are well-supported.

Pilot objectives include:

• Analyze the differences and impact of a full-day and half-day schedule on student progress, considering:
  • Instructional time and academic readiness
  • Social-emotional and behavioral development
• Understand student, staff, and parent perspectives
• Determine needs for professional learning and districtwide alignment
• Evaluate operational and fiscal considerations