Believe it or not, its time to start thinking about back-to-school season this coming fall.
News Radio 1200 WOAI reports enrollment for the fifth school year in San Antonio's sales tax funded Pre-K 4 SA program begins on Thursday.
"Every family who has a four year old, who will be four by September first, is eligible to apply," Sarah Baray, the CEO of Pre-K for SA, told News Radio 1200 WOAI. "We make spots available for working class families in our sliding scale tuition program."
She says parents can sign up on line, on the phone (210-206-PREK) , or in person at a Pre-K 4 SA education center. She says parents of students who are accepted will be notified immediately, so they can begin making plans for the fall.S
he says there will be more opportunities than ever for kids to participate in this successful early childhood education program.
"This year we will support 2,000 students in our four education centers," she said. "We also support an addition 2,000 students through $4.2 million in grants that we award to schools throughout the city."
She says the requirements are only that kids will be four years old by September 1 and they live in the City of San Antonio.
Baray says studies of the San Antonio program, as well as similar early childhood education programs, are clear on the amazing benefits that kids get from Pre-K 4 SA. She says they don't only end up with the child ahead of his or her peers entering kindergarten, but the benefits continue into college.
"Better reading levels in third grade, better math scores in middle school, better high school graduation rates, and even better college going."
PHOTO; PRE-K 4 SA