Data shows that students who attend DeSoto Independent School District pre-K and stay with the district significantly outperform their peers by third grade.
“Pre-K and kindergarten education are extremely beneficial to providing students a solid early foundation for learning,” said DeSoto ISD Chief Academic Officer Stephanie McCloud. “DeSoto ISD wants to provide that early learning exposure for young scholars by making our three- and four-year-old and kinder programs at each campus more easily accessible. The demand for early childhood education is clear here in DeSoto ISD and, with the support of the Head Start program, we are continuing to increase and improve the quality of what we are able to offer our early childhood scholars to establish a great foundation for learning!”
Rooted in developing strong reading and math skills, these programs place scholars on a trajectory of future academic success designed to establish a strong foundational building block on which to advance more complex learning and critical and creative thinking and problem-solving in future school years.
Children who attend pre-k maintain advantages over non-attenders into third grade; in particular, their math and self-regulation skills are better than those of students who did not receive an early childhood education.
Additionally, young scholars who attend early childhood programs are:
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More likely to enroll in advanced placement or honors programs
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Less likely to fail courses
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Less likely to be chronically absent from school
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More likely to graduate from high school fully credited and on time
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More likely to attend college
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More likely to graduate from college
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More likely to earn higher salaries across their careers
The research is clear and that’s why DeSoto ISD is working hard to ensure every child in the DeSoto and Glenn Heights communities has access to early childhood education in the district.
Starting April 1, 2023, parents can enroll their three- and four-year-old students in a DeSoto ISD pre-kindergarten program. This year’s Pre-K Kick-off will take place at Amber Terrace Discovery and Design Early Childhood Academy located at 224 Amber Lane in DeSoto.
The 2023 DeSoto ISD Pre-K Round-up events are set for the following dates :
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9 am to noon, Saturday, Apr. 1, 2023, at Amber Terrace
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8 am to 7 pm, Monday, April 3, 2023, at Amber Terrace
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8 am to 7 pm, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Amber Terrace
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8 am to 5 pm, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at Amber Terrace
These events are a one-stop pre-k enrollment shop that allow families to complete the online application and enrollment with in-person support from district personnel.
DeSoto ISD offers free, full-day Pre-K programs for children who will be three- or four years old on or before September 1, 2023, and meet at least ONE of these requirements:
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The child is eligible to take part in the national free or reduced-price school lunch program. To find out if your child is eligible, click here.
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The child is unable to speak and comprehend the English language.
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The child is homeless.
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The child is a dependent of an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces.
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The child is or has been in foster care.
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The child is a dependent of a recipient of the State of Texas Award.
For children who do not meet one of the five eligibility requirements, a limited number of spots for tuition-based pre-K are available.
For more information on the pre-K application process and requirements, contact DeSoto ISD Early Childhood Education at 972.223.6666.
Families interested in enrolling their children in the district’s kindergarten programs should contact the district’s Office of Student Support Services at 972.223.6666 or visit http://www.desotoisd.org/departments/early_childhood_education for more information.