What is a Pre-K Partnership?
In November 2021, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) approved $26 million to expand prekindergarten (pre-k) partnerships. A pre-k partnership is when a school partners with one or more quality child care programs to give quality care and education to 3- and 4-year-old children.
Child care programs must meet at least one of the five quality criteria in Texas Education Code §29.171 to be eligible for a formal pre-k partnership.
Formal Partnerships
In a formal pre-k partnership, children are a part of both public-school pre-k and the child care program. They stay at the child care center for, pre-k instruction and before- and after-school care. These partnerships are useful for families with working parents and help children have consistent care and learning. The teacher leading the pre-k part of the class can work for the school or the child care program and needs to meet specific standards.
Child care programs and school can keep pre-k partnerships active with money from different sources. TWC’s Child Care Services program may pay for the care some children receive before and after the pre-k class. Also, schools might divide state funds such as Average Daily Attendance and Early Education Allotment with child care programs. This helps cover the costs of teaching pre-k in the partnership classroom.
For more information about possible funding, check the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website.
Example of a Formal PreK-3 Partnership
Informal Partnerships
In informal partnerships, a school and a child care program share resources and information. This includes things like learning opportunities for teachers, what children need to be ready for school, and ways to involve families. In informal partnerships, children are not signed up for both public school pre-k and the child care program. So, there is no money passed from the school to the child care program. Even so, informal partnerships can be a good start to making a formal pre-k partnership later.
Pre-K Eligibility
To be eligible for public school pre-k, a child needs to be 3 or 4 years old by September 1 of the current school year and meet at least one of these conditions:
- Educationally Disadvantaged – Child is eligible for the free/reduced meal program or receives SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
- Limited English Proficiency – Child is unable to speak and comprehend the English language.
- Military - Child whose parent is currently in the armed forces, including state military forces or a reserve component. It also includes a child whose parent was hurt or died while serving on active duty in the armed forces.
- Homeless – Child qualifies as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
- Foster Care – Child is in or has ever been in foster care in Texas or another state.
- Star of Texas Award – Child of a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical responder seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.
For more information about pre-k eligibility requirements, please refer to Texas Education Code §29.153(b).
Benefits of Pre-K Partnerships
Pre-k partnerships help families, child care programs, and schools in many ways.
For families, pre-k partnerships can provide:
- Access to high-quality pre-k to support children’s transition to kindergarten;
- Consistency between the school day and before or after care;
- Better hours for working families who need a full workday of care;
- A curriculum that matches what the local school teaches to help children prepare for school.
For child care programs, pre-k partnerships can provide:
- More 3- and 4-year-old children to help programs grow and become stronger financially while getting help and money from the school.
- A chance to share and learn from teachers with different training and education.
- A path to help children move to kindergarten.
- Increased school-readiness, resources, and professional development opportunities.
For schools, pre-k partnerships can provide:
- Quality care for longer hours than a typical school day.
- The ability to share standards and expectations with future students.
- Teachers who are more trained in emotional support and learning.
- More pre-k setting options to meet the needs and preferences of families.
- More 3- and 4-year-old children without needing to make more classrooms.
- Increased resources and professional development opportunities.
- Open lines of communication with early childhood education programs serving future students.
- Earlier opportunities to engage families.
What We Do
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To learn more about partnerships & how we can help create a partnership that suits your needs, email prekpartnerships@twc.texas...
TWC Pre-K Partnership Team
The Pre-K Partnership Team at TWC is committed to helping child care providers and schools establish pre-k partnerships. This involves:
- Reaching out to potential partners
- Finding matches
- Assisting partners during talks
- Providing resources
Eligible child care providers working with the TWC Pre-K Partnership team can apply for a one-time award of up to $25,000 for each new partnership classroom. The award will help child care providers with some of the costs of the new pre-k partnership classroom. The money is not intended to replace the contributions from the school.
Applications for the award are open September through February. TWC will invite child care providers to apply for funding once they:
- Are Texas Rising Star 3- or 4-Star certified;
- Have a new contract with a school for a formal pre-k partnership;
- Have a new pre-k partnership classroom in operation with dually enrolled students; and
- Attend a virtual funding information session (by TWC invite only)
Child care providers that did not work with TWC during the development of their pre-k partnership should contact the TWC Pre-K Partnership team to determine if they are eligible for the award.
To find out more about how TWC can assist, please email prekpartnerships@twc.texas.gov.