San Antonio Public School Districts’ Early Education and Pre-K Programs
San Antonio area school districts provide preschool and Pre-K (pre-k) programs to prepare students for success in kindergarten and elementary school. The mission of Pre-K programs is to offer purposeful and planned play in a safe, nurturing environment. From the introduction of letters and numbers to basic math concepts and recognizing simple sight words, San Antonio elementary schools provide an excellent full-day, tuition-free Pre-K curriculum.
Some San Antonio area schools will accept young children starting at age three into preschool programs before they are old enough to qualify to enter a pre-kindergarten program. The Texas Education Agency states that children must be four years old on September 1 of the current school year to enroll in Pre-K. Find more criteria for enrollment here.
Legal Compliance Required for Traditional Public Schools
All public school districts in the nation are required to comply with specific educational standards, like the Common Core initiative. Texas schools, however, must adhere to the TEKs (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) state standards. These Texas standards apply to all grades (K-12), and they address the areas of mathematics, social studies, English/ language arts, and science, in addition to physical education, health education, technology, foreign language, and fine arts.
Early Intervention Services
Parents concerned that their child may have developmental delays or limiting health conditions are encouraged to take advantage of early intervention services in the schools. These services help young children increase their chances for overall success in school by helping them catch up to other children their age. Through federal grants to the state, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides early intervention services and specialists to children who qualify for assistance at a low-cost or free of charge. Parents can contact their local school district offices for more information about what services are available.
Speech Therapy for Children Ages 3-5
Preschool and Pre-K children from age 3-5 have the opportunity to see a speech-language pathologist and be evaluated for speech therapy. Speech pathologists help identify the child’s need for special services. In addition to early intervention and speech therapy, the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) also provides services for physical therapy and occupational therapy, depending on the child’s individual needs. San Antonio school districts offer a vast array of services in many locations to ensure all children in the area receive the services they need. Before Kindergarten, a child’s early intervention testing and special education treatment plan is a free and highly beneficial service that all parents can take advantage of during the preschool years.
San Antonio Pre-K and preschool curriculum gives children a jumpstart on Kindergarten, which leads to a more natural and lucrative introduction to their elementary public school education. Parents are highly encouraged and welcome to take advantage of free special needs testing and no-cost early intervention in order to fully benefit from these special services.
Benefits to students involved in pre-k:
- Children in preschool and Pre-K programs are more likely to have a more natural, smooth transition into their elementary schools.
- Children in district Pre-K and preschool programs are identified earlier as special needs students than those who wait until beginning elementary school, giving them a head start.
- Children ages 3-5 are entitled to no-cost special services through PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities).
- Dual language learners and economically disadvantaged students benefit more from Pre-K than their more advantaged or English-speaking peers.