HOUSTON – Houston Independent School District leaders say they are expanding Pre-K classrooms and programming.
It’s one of the ways they’re hoping to turn around a 14% decline in enrollment.
Kallie Benes has a lot of great memories with her two little ones, but she says enrolling them in pre-k isn’t one.
“We were on several waitlists and looking at several schools,” Benes said.
She says a couple of years ago she wasn’t able to get her youngest into a HISD program that fit her family’s needs.
“It is very difficult for families who are really in the middle to find quality affordable childcare,” she said.
Benes got her start as a pre-k teacher and continues to work in the education field.
“This is an investment, not only our school district needs to make, but the entire community needs to recognize,” he said.
HISD Superintendent Millard House II agreed. The district is investigating nearly $20 million on the effort.
“Next year we are going to continue to expand at other campuses where there’s a high need for pre-k classrooms,” said Marisol Castruita, Early Childhood Director.
Castruita says there are 730 classrooms, they’ve added 24 this year. She says data is