Texas

Overview of Pre-K Program-Texas Public School Prekindergarten

Four-year-old children are eligible based on several risk factors which may include free-or reduced-price lunch eligibility, limited English proficiency, homelessness, foster care or parents on active military duty or children of those who were injured or killed while on active duty.
Districts must provide prekindergarten to eligible children if there are 15 or more eligible children in that district.
Funded through the K-12 funding formula.
Funds are distributed directly to school districts who are then encouraged to provide preschool services through existing providers, such as Head Start or private centers.
Services are half-day, but providers may apply for a competitive grant to provide full-day services through the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program (formerly known as the Prekindergarten Expansion Grant Program).
Programs are administered by local school districts. The Texas Education Agency administers the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program.

Competitive Grant program which provides grants to preschool education programs that serve at least 75 percent low-income students and use a research-based pre-reading instructional program.
Administered through the State Center for Early Education.
Program is meant to encourage Head Start providers, private child care centers and public schools to coordinate services and share resources.

1985 Texas Public School Prekindergarten Initiative launched to provide half-day pre-k for at-risk four-year-old children.
2003 Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) is approved with the intention of integrating existing early childhood programs and increase children’s school readiness.
2004 “The Texas Plan” is released. It is a ten-year public policy vision to enhance early childhood education and development.
2009 Program serves 200,529 children.