In the interest of the public good: Texas pre-kindergarten compulsory law

Abstract

In Texas, public-funded pre-kindergarten is important because it provides the most vulnerable children with the opportunity to develop school readiness, so they can learn core competencies in kindergarten relevant to academic readiness for first grade. The Texas Legislature was back in session in spring 2019 and, not surprisingly, a bill was filed requiring all Texas school districts to offer free all-day preschool programs for students meeting certain criteria—in the interest of the public good. In this colloquium, the author seeks to bring attention to the problem of pre-kindergarten attendance—an issue that the Legislature needs to address before funding the expansion of pre-kindergarten from half-day to full-day programs. In so doing, the author’s intention is to inspire discourse among the early childhood global community of educators, researchers, and policymakers regarding pre-kindergarten compulsory policy and practice, and thereby inform current thinking and guide further study on this important issue.