In Texas, children must meet a certain criteria—such as being educationally disadvantaged, homeless, or from military families—to qualify for free pre-Kindergarten classes.
Dallas Independent School District (ISD) will join Arlington and Fort Worth ISDs in offering universal, free pre-K classes starting next school year.
The district’s school board voted unanimously Thursday evening to approve a universal pre-K program for all 3- and 4-year-olds without any debate.
Previously, free pre-K in Dallas ISD was only reserved for families that met specific federal, state, and district guidelines, which included low-income families, non-English speakers, children of Dallas ISD teachers, homeless students, students in foster care, or households with an active-military parent. All other students were charged tuition if additional spots were available.
Byron Sanders, a Dallas ISD board member, shared his excitement over the proposal prior to last week’s meeting.
“If you don’t know—the most important developmental times of a human being’s brain are before they turn nine,” he said in a statement. “What you do in those early years, fairly and unfairly, plays a huge role in the rest of your life. Pre-K is probably the most important ‘grades’ of an education journey.”
Sanders added that providing universal, free pre-K closes a gap for families that didn’t qualify for free classes, yet couldn’t afford tuition.
“Universal pre-K closes that gap. Research shows that children who attend pre-K are three-and-a-half times more likely to be ready for kindergarten. They develop the social, emotional, and academic foundations that set them up not just for school, but for life. And the data is clear: Kids who attend Pre-K earn higher incomes as adults,” he stated.
The district has been charging families $5,000 a year for full-day classes and $2,500 a year for half-day classes.
During a March 12 board briefing, Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told the board that about 267 families are paying pre-K tuition this year, but that it costs the district more to manage those families’ tuition payments than those payments bring in.
The district is able to offer free tuition to every student because it has open spaces and enough teachers without needing to hire more, according to Elizalde.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (D) shared his excitement on social media, calling the move “an absolute game changer.”
“Parents will save on childcare, kids will be better prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond, and more parents will join the workforce,” he said.
The district will start accepting pre-K enrollees for the 2026-2027 school year on April 1.
