Enrollment for the city’s prekindergarten program, Pre-K 4 SA, opens Saturday.
Pre-K 4 SA serves 4-year-olds across the city on a first-come, first-served basis. To be eligible, a child must turn 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the year he or she attends Pre-K 4 SA.
Recommended Videos
Free tuition is provided for children who meet one of the following criteria outlined by the Texas Education Agency:
- Is eligible for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program or receives SNAP or TANF benefits
- Is unable to speak and comprehend the English language (as determined by assessment)
- Is homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (as determined by district)
- Is the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority
- Is 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 while serving on active duty
- Is or has been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing; or Star of Texas Award, child of eligible person
Students who live in the following school districts are eligible to apply for free tuition: East Central ISD, Edgewood ISD, Harlandale ISD, North East ISD, Northside ISD, San Antonio ISD, South Side ISD and Southwest ISD. Students who live in nonparticipating school districts can attend, but must pay tuition.
Parents of eligible students can apply in one of three ways:
- By calling the enrollment hotline at (210) 206-PREK
- In person at one of the city’s four education centers or the Gardendale Early Learning Program. between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
- North Education Center 3635 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229
- East Education Center 5230 Eisenhauer Road San Antonio, TX 78218
- South Education Center 7031 S. New Braunfels San Antonio, TX 78223
- West Education Center 1235 Enrique M. Barrera Memorial Parkway San Antonio, TX 78227
- Gardendale Early Learning Program 1731 Dahlgreen San Antonio, Texas 78237
According to the Pre-K 4 SA website, accepted applicants will be notified beginning the first Monday in February. The notifications will continue each Monday until all spots are filled.
“Our open enrollment process helps eliminate the stress for families seeking access to high quality prekindergarten, and it allows us to immediately begin building relationships with our children and their families,” Pre-K 4 SA CEO Sarah Baray said. “We remain confident in the curriculum and teaching methods in our classrooms that demonstrate our children are not only ready for kindergarten but show positive results well into elementary school.”
Pre-K 4 SA is a full-day pre-kindergarten program that includes meals and snacks and extended learning hours before and after school.
A Pre-K 4 SA study released in November found that Pre-K 4 SA students exceed the national norm in kindergarten readiness.
“We know that children who attend Pre-K 4 SA begin the school year significantly below the national average,” Pre-K 4 SA Board Chair Elaine Mendoza said. “But by the end of the year, Pre-K 4 SA students close those gaps and demonstrate they are prepared to enter and succeed in elementary school. Year after year, the Board of Directors is pleased to see the positive growth in each class of Pre-K 4 SA students.”