In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 4, with the goal of establishing a Pre-K grant program. The funding was then distributed to eligible school districts in the summer and fall of 2016. Districts receiving the funding demonstrated their ability to meet quality standards related to curriculum, teacher qualifications, progress monitoring, and family engagement. In partnership with Texans Care for Children and the Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium (TEGAC), Children’s Defense Fund–Texas gathered information from school districts in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas in order to explore their demand for and experience with the HB 4 High Quality Pre-K Grant.
