Pre-Kindergarten

2025 Pre-Kindergarten Legislative Priorities

• Directly fund pre-K with full-day Average Daily Attendance (ADA) versus half-day ADA
• Expand the Early Education Allotment to include eligible pre-K students (currently kindergarten through third grade)
• Increase access to pre-K by raising the income eligibility cap
• Extend pre-K eligibility to the children of public school educators

Where We Stand on Pre-Kindergarten

The path toward a brighter future for our students and our economy starts with access to high-quality full-day pre-kindergarten. Pre-kindergarten, also known as pre-K, forms the educational foundation for our youngest Texans, allowing them to start their educational journey on a high note.  

Research shows that high-quality, full-day pre-K is an effective investment. Enrollment in pre-K is consistently tied to higher rates of kindergarten readiness, stronger literacy and numeracy skills, and reductions in stubborn achievement gaps. In 2019, Texas lawmakers passed key legislation to put pre-K students on that path to a brighter future. HB 3 (86th Session) created the requirement that school districts offer full-day pre-K and established the Early Education Allotment to support pre-K through third-grade learning strategies. However, five years have passed since HB 3 was enacted and there is still crucial work left to do. While all other grade levels are funded for a full day of instruction through average daily attendance (ADA), the state of Texas only funds pre-K on half of a student’s ADA, effectively leaving school districts and taxpayers to cover the remaining cost for the second half of a full day of pre-K instruction. By fully funding pre-K programs across our public school system, Texas lawmakers can help school districts prioritize crucial early learning years.

Benefits of High-Quality, Full-Day Pre-K Are Clear

High-quality pre-K has a remarkable impact on children’s reading skills. Texas assesses pre-K reading proficiency by examining students’ motivation to read, phonological awareness, and understanding of the alphabet and text. At the start of the 2022-23 school year, only 41% of pre-K students in Texas demonstrated reading proficiency. By the end of the school year, that number jumped to 83%. Through the development of emergent literacy skills, pre-K programs improve kindergarten readiness and create a foundation for long-term learning. 

A 2016 study of nearly 50,000 Texas students found that low-income children who attended high-quality full-day pre-K were 40% more likely to pass the third-grade STAAR reading test – a crucial benchmark for student success. 

And the benefits of pre-K go beyond the early grades and impact more than just academics. Research shows children who attend pre-K are more likely to graduate from high school and pursue higher education opportunities, whether at two- or four-year colleges. Better-educated Texas residents will result in a stronger future economy and healthier citizens.

Texas Trails Other States in Pre-K Funding

Just as Texas’ overall per-pupil funding ranks among the lowest across the 50 states, so does our state’s investment in pre-K. Texas ranks 39th in the nation in pre-K spending, over $3,000 below the national average. Most of this funding shortfall comes from the state not investing in full-day pre-K funding or addressing inflation.

Making An Impact

Funding fuels quality. Texas only meets four of 10 National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) benchmarks for high-quality pre-K. It’s time to invest fully in our youngest Texans’ future. By fully funding full-day pre-kindergarten, Texas can set our students up for long-term success from pre-K to the workforce. 

“It’s far more efficient to invest in the younger kids to prevent the achievement gap from ever growing than it is to spend money on remediation.” – Mike Morath, Texas Commissioner of Education

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