There are over 2.3 million kids under the age of five in Texas. That is a lot of kids! Unfortunately, Texas only meets two of the ten quality benchmarks outlined by the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER). Texas spends less than the national average for pre-k education and only enrolls about half of all 4-year olds. Because of this the dropout rate for the state of Texas currently stands out at 28%. Furthermore, we know that students who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to dropout than those who do read on grade level. This is not good because every child needs a strong foundation to build upon in order to reach success. However, providing Texas kids with high quality, effective pre-kindergarten programs will help get them on path to a successful education.

Pre-kindergarten programs must be high quality to be effective. The NIEER sets comprehensive learning standards for quality pre-k programs. In addition, NIEER guidelines state that lead teachers must have a Bachelor’s degree and a specialization in early childhood education. They must complete 15 hours of in-service training each year. Assistant teachers must have a Child Development Associate (CDA) or equivalent. It also limits class size to 20 students and a 1:10 staff to child ratio. They must include services such as vision, hearing, and health screenings with referral programs. At least one family support service is required. The program must serve at least one meal per day, and each site is subject to visits by state monitors. As mentioned, Texas only meets two of the ten quality benchmarks: early learning standards and teacher completion of 15 hours of in service training. Given the number of children in Texas (remember there are more than 2.3 million!) the lack of access to quality pre-k makes it evident that a problem exists.

Some may worry about the cost of implementing these high quality programs. However, implementation of quality pre-k is cost effective both now and in the future. Studies have shown pre-kindergarten has immediate and long-term positive effects on a child’s cognitive, social, and, emotional skills. Not to mention, early education increases school readiness and contributes to better student academic outcomes, especially for economically disadvantaged children. So we can see that it is advantageous in the short term to have quality pre-k for our children.

High quality pre-k has long term benefits as well. According to The Pew Center on the States, children who attend high quality pre-k have a reduced likelihood of criminal behavior and incarceration, higher chances of being employed, and increased lifetime earnings and less reliance on welfare. Studies also show that without early childhood intervention an at risk child is 25% more likely to drop out of school; 40% are more likely to become a teen parent; 50% are more likely to be paced in special education; 60% are more likely to never attend college; and 70% are more likely to be convicted of a violent crime.  Furthermore, some studies have shown a return on investment as high as 7 dollars for every 1 dollar spent on quality pre-k!

Although Texas does not currently have a state-wide policy implementing high quality pre-k, some districts have started their own programs that show remarkable promise. This year in the valley, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD’s first cohort of 600 prekindergarten students, who are being closely longitudinally tracked, will take their first STAAR test. Here in Houston, Spring Branch ISD tracked prekindergarten students into high school and found that economically disadvantaged prekindergarten students outperformed their peers who did not receive early education by as much as 20% on end of course exams. The benefits of quality prekindergarten are markedly visible.

The bottom line: not only is high quality pre-k a promising economic development program that can save taxpayers money – most importantly, it can provide children with the academic anchor they need that can lead to a better, brighter future.

For more information, check out CHILDREN AT RISK’s 2014 report The State of Pre-K: Realities and Opportunities in Texas (We also have an Executive Summary). This well received study is a tool for communities, school districts, and policy makers outlining the current state of pre-kindergarten in Texas. It includes our recommendations for the 84th Legislative Session on the best practices for maximizing existing public and private resources and expanding local and federal support for pre-kindergarten in the state of Texas.