Opinion

Texas needs universal pre-K access

In this file photo, pre-K students line up outside a classroom at the South Education Center. Texas should provide universal pre-K access. The investment would reap significant dividends. In this file photo, pre-K students line up outside a classroom at the South Education Center. Texas should provide universal pre-K access. The investment would reap significant dividends. Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Texas needs universal pre-K access 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Funding early childhood education should not be a partisan issue. It’s an investment in the future of the next generation and a crucial component in ensuring the economic growth of our country.

Research shows children who receive early childhood education have better health and education outcomes than their peers who don’t have such access. In the United States, only 4 of 10 children benefit from publicly funded preschool. The numbers are better in Texas, but only 48 percent of 4-year-olds were enrolled in pre-K in the 2014-15 school year.

Texas has provided half-day pre-K to a limited number of 4-year-olds since 1985. To qualify, children must be eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, be homeless, be a part of the foster care system, have a parent on active military duty who was injured or killed on active duty, or not be able to speak or comprehend English.

Last year, the number of students in the Texas public school prekindergarten program was down by 6,738 from the previous year, with an enrollment of 219,488 students. The state could be doing so much more to open the doors of opportunity for the state’s youngest residents.

Universal pre-K cannot be viewed as luxury or limited only to students who meet certain risk factors.

Some states are making significant efforts to increase pre-K enrollment, funding and quality, according to a recently released report from the National Institute for Early Education Research, but it is not happening quickly enough. At the current rate of growth, it would take an estimated 150 years to reach 75 percent enrollment nationwide in state pre-K.

Limiting dollars for early childhood development is false economy. Children who build a base early in their education tend to do better academically. The cost to taxpayers for public assistance, incarceration and health care rise when education levels are low.

U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro and three of his colleagues — Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Tom Cole, R-Okla.— have formed the Congressional Pre-K Caucus to boost public support for early childhood learning programs.

Castro has also introduced legislation to increase federal pre-K funding by $750 million. While there is little hope it will get far given the political climate in Washington, the measure should at least open a serious dialogue on this pressing issue.

For decades, we have spent lots of time and energy on graduating students from high school and ensuring access to higher education, but college completion rates are not where they should be.

We need to prepare students for success by providing a solid academic foundation during their earliest formative years.