EDUCATION Tomball ISD launches full-day pre-K for 2023 24 school year
2023 EDUCATION EDITION
PRE K ADMISSIONS Not every 4-year-old is eligible for pre-K. A student must meet one of the pre-K eligibility requirements:
BY LIZZY SPANGLER
In 2020, the district applied for a three-year waiver to allow TISD to phase in full-day pre-K, according to previous reporting. Alongside the prekindergarten center, which has capacity for 500 students, the district will continue to operate pre-K on some of its cam- puses, Salazar-Zamora said. During the 2021-22 school year, TISD had 310 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in its pre-K programs, according to the TEA, an increase from 209 students the prior year. “We’re a fast-growth district, so I think it will happen within two years,” she said about reaching the center’s capacity. Salazar-Zamora also said there were only a few new employees hired with teachers at existing campuses moving over to the center. “We want our youngest learners to have a love for reading and for learning,” Salazar-Zamora said. “And I truly believe this facility will do that and then some.”
educationally disadvantaged; homeless; in or having been in foster care; or the child of an active-duty member of the armed forces, among other things. “It has been a lot of heavy lifting, but it’s been beautiful to see the team collaborate and come together in this new and exciting way for our rst-ever standalone pre-K center,” TISD Superintendent Martha Sala- zar-Zamora said. TISD opened its Early Excellence Academy this August, welcoming over 300 students. The district has spent around $20 million on the center and everything needed for its opening, funding it in part with 2021 bond money, Salazar-Zamora said. “I am very excited,” she said. “A lot of time and attention went into what this experience will be like for our youngest learners—our little scholars, as I love to call them.” Planning for TISD’s prekinder- garten center began after HB 3 was signed into law, Salazar-Zamora said.
Eligible 4-year-olds are able to attend full-day prekindergarten at both Tomball and Magnolia ISDs after TISD opened its new prekindergarten center, located on Keefer Road, in August. MISD has o ered full-day pre-K since the 2019-20 school year, according to previous reporting. As its program grows, MISD is projecting 450 students enrolled in pre-K for 2023-24—an increase from the 433 students enrolled the prior year, according to the district. Districts previously o ering half- day pre-K are required to o er full- day pre-K after the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3 in 2019, Com- munity Impact previously reported. Districts are also required to have a pre-K program if they have 15 or more eligible 4-year-olds, according to the Texas Education Agency. To be eligible for pre-K, students must meet one of the requirements, which includes being unable to speak or comprehend English;
Unable to comprehend and speak English
Is educationally disadvantaged
Is the child of an active duty member of the armed forces Is the child of a member of the armed forces who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
Is homeless
Is or has been in foster care
Is the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
512-232-5000 EdServices@austin.utexas.edu highschool.utexas.edu
Full-Time Virtual High School Free for Texans! Enroll now for fall 2023!
Summer online courses available for purchase to catch up or get ahead!
Honors and Advanced Placement® subjects available
@UTHSnation
19
TOMBALL MAGNOLIA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
Powered by FlippingBook