Prekindergarten

INITIATIVE: HOUSTON EDUCATION RESEARCH CONSORTIUM EDUCATION

Research has long linked early childhood education to later academic success and suggested it may be a critical part of closing the persistent academic disparities between student groups.

Research has long linked early childhood education to later academic success and suggested it may be a critical part of closing the persistent academic disparities between student groups. The Kinder Institute studies the impact of pre-K as well as the role of equity and access in the Houston area.

Research

Characteristics and Profiles of Pre-K Classrooms and Teachers in the Houston Region

This brief examines the characteristics of public pre-K teachers and classrooms in Houston-area school districts to better understand how well the programs align with research-based indicators that have been shown to produce positive student outcomes.

BRIEF: March 31, 2025 EDUCATION

Pre-K Enrollment and Early Elementary Outcomes

This series examines the influence of the passage of Texas House Bill 3 (HB3) and COVID-19 pandemic on public pre-K enrollment and attendance. It also looks at how participation in public pre-K programs is associated with early elementary outcomes such as kindergarten readiness, chronic absenteeism, and English proficiency.

BRIEF: November 11, 2024 EDUCATION

Pre-K Choice and School Readiness in HISD (Part 4)

This brief serves as the fourth, and final, study in a series examining pre-K access for students in HISD.

BRIEF: August 2, 2022 EDUCATION

Pre-K Preferences: How and Why HISD Parents Choose Pre-K Programs (Part 3)

The aims of this study are to identify characteristics that drive pre-k enrollment, understand where parents receive their information about HISD pre-k options, and understand parental beliefs about which program characteristics are most important.

BRIEF: November 11, 2020 EDUCATION

Strategies for Increasing Access to HISD Pre-K Programs (Part 2)

This is the second in a series of briefs examining student access to Houston ISD pre-kindergarten programs. The study finds that among 2018-19 kindergarteners in HISD who did not attend HISD pre-k, about two-thirds of students likely qualified for enrollment.

BRIEF: February 17, 2020 EDUCATION

Availability of and Equity in Access to HISD Pre-K Programs (Part 1)

This study attempts to identify the spatial distribution of HISD pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs across the district and better understand how program location may be associated with access and equity issues.

BRIEF: August 21, 2019 EDUCATION

Equality of Pre-Kindergarten Educational Opportunities: Examining Student Differences in Access to High Quality Pre-Kindergarten (Parts 1 and 2)

This two-part study confirms the broad variations of pre-kindergarten offerings across the state's largest school district, Houston Independent School District.