Ballard & Tighe’s IPT Early Childhood English Test Selected as an Approved Screening Instrument for California Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

BREA, CA — May 13, 2026 — Ballard & Tighe, Publishers, a leader in English language development materials for over 50 years, is pleased to announce that the IPT Early Childhood test has been selected as an approved instrument for screening Transitional Kindergarten (TK) multilingual learners in California under EC Section 48004(b)(1)(A) by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, with approval of the State Board of Education’s Executive Director.

Created specifically for children ages 3–5, the IPT Early Childhood screener features separate, age-appropriate test forms for three age groups, providing accurate results aligned to each stage of development. Students demonstrate their understanding and expressive language capabilities in a structured interview setting using a hands-on storyboard and manipulatives, supporting interaction and active demonstration vs. a response-only format for a well-rounded measure of spoken interaction.

The administrative platform supports ease of implementation with streamlined setup, intuitive administration, and timely results to inform instructional planning. It also includes clear, family-friendly parent letters in multiple languages that communicate results in an accessible way, helping strengthen home–school connections.

Information about the California TK Screener program will be distributed through the CDE TK Multilingual Learner Screener webpage. A CDE Frequently Asked Questions about the program is forthcoming, and interested parties are directed to this page for guidance and program-specific questions.

For more information about the IPT Early Childhood screener, contact Lori Hill at lhill@ballard-tighe.com.