Transcript Pre-k in Texas - Center for Public Education

Pre-K in Texas
Janice Esau
Texas Association of School Boards
Pre-K Eligibility in
Texas Public Schools
• Limited English Language Learners
• Educationally Disadvantaged (eligible for free and
reduced lunch program)
• Homeless
• The child of a member of the armed forces of the
United States, including the state military forces or
a reserve component of the armed forces, who was
injured or killed during active duty. Includes
uniformed service members Missing in Action
(MIA)
Integration of
Pre-K Efforts
State Center for Early Childhood Education – (SB 76,
2003)
• Texas Early Education Model (TEEM)
Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC)
• 2004 launches The Texas Plan, a collaboratively
developed ten-year public policy vision to enhance early
childhood education and development
• 2006 Bush School of Government and Public Service at
Texas A & M University conducted conservative costbenefit analysis of quality Pre-Kindergarten.
Result - 3 ½ to 1: Invest in Texas
Legislature –
Senate Bill 113
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According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a
foster child qualifies for Pre-K services because
the child is homeless as defined by NCLB
• If adopted before enrolling in Pre-K or adopted
during the school year and moves to a different
school, the child may no longer qualify unless they
meet other eligibility requirements
• Would allow children in foster care and other
residential facilities to remain eligible for Pre-K
services without interruption regardless of a
change in the child’s status
Legislature –
Senate Bill 50
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• Increase reimbursement rates paid to child care
providers participating in voluntary quality
improvement programs;
• Improve the recruitment, retention, and quality of
early childhood education professionals, while
establishing the field as a multi-level career path;
and
• Expand and Improve Voluntary Pre-K Services
– Expand funding for integrated delivery
partnerships with Independent School Districts,
Head Start providers and community-based
child care centers
Senate Bill 50, cont.
– School Readiness Certification System
• Measures classroom environmental factors, program
quality and child outcome data from Kindergarten
assessments
• SRCS participants eligible for additional funding to
1) Create a Pre-K program;
2) Expand a Pre-K program to serve 3 year olds;
3) Increase income eligibility levels for Pre-K;
4) Increase half-day Pre-K to full-day Pre-K; or
5) Add a teacher’s aid to existing Pre-K classes
to reduce staff-to-child ratios
TASB Pre-K Survey
• Online survey facilitated March 2007
• Volunteer Survey Panel invited to
participate
360 Panelists
• 130 School Superintendents
• 230 School Board Members
247 Survey Respondents (68.5%)
TASB Pre-K
Survey Results
82% of survey respondents offer Pre-K now
60% Pre-K only for children meeting eligibility
requirements
4%
Pre-K open to any child 3 or 4 years old
34% Pre-K open to any child 4 years old
2%
Don’t know which age groups are served
TASB Pre-K Survey
Results, cont.
Delivery Systems for Pre-K
66% School District only provides Pre-K
6%
Head Start only provides Pre-K
28% Diverse delivery system – School District,
Head Start and Community-based child care
programs
TASB Pre-K Survey
Results, cont.
Is Pre-K beneficial?
• 90% Yes
Greatest benefits of Pre-K?
• Accelerates children’s development and boosts “school
readiness”
• Reduces achievement gap between social economic
groups
• Helps boost individual student achievement (overall)
• Reduces retention rates in grade school
• Saves money by decreasing remediation and special
education costs
• Reduces overall number of children in special education
classes
TASB Pre-K Survey
Results, cont.
Main challenges faced by Texas School Districts regarding
Pre-K:
• Adequate Funding
• Limited Resources
• Finding/Hiring Qualified Teachers
• Lack of clear standards and expectations for school
readiness
• Coordination and collaboration with community-based
child care providers
Most important factors that determine “quality” Pre-K:
• Highly trained teachers and staff
• Developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Small class/group size and parent involvement (tie)
• Low staff-to-child ratios
TASB Pre-K Survey
Results, cont.
How can TASB best support school districts on this
issue?
• Provide research and information about early
learning standards and curriculum
• Provide information about the potential benefits and
costs of Pre-K to local school districts
• Provide case studies of school districts that have
implemented Pre-K programs
• Train district leaders on ways to implement effective
Pre-K programs
Opportunities to Educate
• Pre-K Forum (March 2007)
• Texas Lone Star magazine article
summarizing benefits of quality Pre-K
(April 2007)
• Summer Leadership Institute (June 2007)
• TASB/TASA Annual Convention (Sept.
2007)
References
Texas Legislature Online
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/
Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC)
www.tecec.org
State Center for Early Childhood Education
http://www.uth.tmc.edu/circle/