In the Rescue Union Elementary School District (UESD) outside Sacramento, the class for "young fives"--children technically old enough to begin kindergarten, but who still need time to mature--is called Junior Kindergarten. Elsewhere in the state, similar models are called developmental kindergarten, transition kindergarten, Preppie K, and other labels that describe a new lighter version of kindergarten for children who need "the gift of time," as some like to say. The beauty of the concept is that there's no rush to prepare for tests, no skills to master by June. The child sets the pace.