The state of Texas touts one of the most accessible pre-K programs in the U.S., enrolling nearly 230,000 children annually. However, according to research from public education advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas, the state ranks 29th nationally in public pre-K spending and overall quality.
House Bill 4, passed in 2015, disbursed more than $116 million in grant funding to 578 school districts across the state to be used for high-quality pre-K funding in the 2015-17 biennium. To qualify for this funding, districts were required to hire certified teachers, maintain curriculum standards and implement a parental engagement plan.
Cy-Fair ISD received more than $2 million in state funding to use through Aug. 31, 2017. The funding is mainly being used on sustainability efforts, such as training efforts and staff development, said Linda Macias, CFISD’s associate superintendent of curriculum, instruction and accountability.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity for our students and for our teachers with these funds,” she said.
Macias said the key to a quality pre-K program is ensuring the preparation of teachers and classroom paraprofessionals. Before the school year kicked off in August, pre-K teachers completed a five-day training program.
Major areas of focus included science, read-alouds and student engagement, Macias said. Alongside letters, sounds, math and early literacy skills, CFISD’s pre-K programming involves a social and emotional component aligned with state requirements.
“These are the fundamental building blocks of education,” she said. “No matter where they come from, we want kids to enjoy learning and have the foundation to love school at an early age.”
CFISD has more than 2,000 4-year-old students benefiting from the pre-K program across 48 campuses, Macias said. Thirty-five of those campuses have bilingual programming. The half-day pre-K schedule offers morning and afternoon sections.
Texas has a pre-K qualification system based on economically disadvantaged students, children of active military members, English language learners and children who are homeless or in the foster care system.
Campuses that offer pre-K in Cy-Fair are based on where these top-qualifier students live. If there are enough disadvantaged children to establish a program in any given area, the district will add one to bridge learning gaps, Macias said.
“These children don’t have the same experience as advantaged students,” she said. “There’s a lack of books in the home, and economically disadvantaged students are much further behind in vocabulary and oral language development. We work with our kids to get them up to a level playing field.”
