The growth stems from House Bill 2, which now allows children of public school teachers to qualify for free pre-K, district officials said.
The gist
According to an enrollment projection relayed July 14, FISD expects one additional pre-K student in 2025-26 compared to the 2024-25 school year. Superintendent Thad Roher noted at the July 21 meeting that eight teachers at FISD will now be able to enroll their child in pre-K with the new eligibility requirements.
The details
To be eligible for the district’s free pre-K program, a child must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1. The district may also choose to offer a pre-K program for 3-year-olds to eligible children. In either case, eligibility is based on the same criteria, and age is calculated as of Sept. 1.
Students must also meet one of the eight criteria to enroll in the free pre-K program:
- Cannot speak or understand English
- Is economically disadvantaged (eligible for the National School Lunch Program)
- Is homeless (lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence)
- Is the child of a U.S. armed forces member (including state military or reserve) who is currently on active duty
- Is the child of a U.S. armed forces member who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
- Is or has been in foster care under the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Is the child of an FISD classroom teacher who teaches at least four hours daily in an instructional setting (not including aides or full-time administrators)
- Is the child of a recipient of the Star of Texas Award as a peace officer, firefighter or emergency medical first responder
