Aldine ISD Expanding PreK Program From Half-Day to Full-Day for 3-Year-Olds

Disponible en: Español

The district seeks to give the youngest learners more opportunities and time to engage in learning.

The district, which already offers a full-day PreK for 4-year-olds, will begin to provide a full-day program to 3-year-olds starting fall 2021. The move will give the younger students more opportunities and time to engage in learning. The AISD PreK program is free to eligible students.

The PreK 3 Program in Aldine ISD gives families an early start in their children’s educational experience by having continuous educational services that begin at an early age. AISD’s prekindergarten programs (PreK3 and PreK4) focus on social-emotional and cognitive development. Educators provide a positive learning environment that results in the growth of the whole child. Children grow and develop rapidly in their first five years across the four main areas of development. These areas are motor (physical), communication and language, cognitive, and social and emotional. The goal is to provide a rich early childhood experience as soon as possible for a positive and strong foundation.

Cognitive Development — This is part of brain development. Cognitive development means how children think, explore and figure things out. It is the development of knowledge, skills, problem-solving, and dispositions, which help children to think about and understand the world around them.

Social-Emotional Development — Social and emotional development means how children understand who they are, what they are feeling, and what to expect when interacting with others. Positive social and emotional development influences a child’s self-confidence, empathy, the ability to develop meaningful and lasting friendships and partnerships, and a sense of importance and value to those around them. Children’s social and emotional development also influences all other areas of development.

The additional hours will support children in developing their language, social-emotional skills, and school readiness skills. Three-year-old learners will have the opportunity to engage in classes called “specials,” such as physical education, music, or art.

District leaders recognize the benefits of early childhood education. Earlier this school year, they received feedback from parents, staff, and the community about an interest in having a full-day experience for the youngest pupils.

The full-day program is made possible due to TEA (Texas Educational Agency) PreK funding. Each PreK3 classroom will have 20 students with two adults in each. Students are enrolled on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once the classrooms are filled, each school will maintain a waiting list.

PreK3 Programs in Aldine

Aldine ISD offers preschool for three-year-olds (also known as PreK3) at three campuses; all others offer prekindergarten to four-year-olds (PreK4). Students do not need to be zoned to these three schools to apply for the PreK3 program. However, they must meet age criteria and eligibility requirements.

To enroll a child, families must go to the PreK enrollment webpage, which also contains enrollment for PreK3. Pre-enrollment is going on until May 31, 2021.