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As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken.  Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools

Starting School Younger Helps Children Later

9 Aug 2000

DISD Increases Full Day Prekindergarten Classes To Enhance Learning

When students return to school Aug. 14, a group of 4-year-olds, who are starting school for the first time, will begin prekindergarten a week later on Aug. 21. The Dallas Independent School District expects approximately 6,336 students to enroll in its prekindergarten program.

To meet the needs of a student population that is eligible to enroll in prekindergarten, the DISD has scheduled 84 full-day classes at 46 elementary schools and 153 half-day classes at 55 campuses. Last year, the district had 26 full-day classes and 242 half-day classes.

All prekindergarten classes start Aug. 21. The half-day morning classes begin at 8 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m. The afternoon classes are from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The full-day prekindergarten classes are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

By gradually expanding the half-day program into full-day, the district is focusing on meeting the state's requirement: every eligible 4-year-old will be enrolled in a full-day prekindergarten program by 2003. Presently, the law requires districts with 15 or more eligible children to offer a prekindergarten program. For 4-year-olds to be eligible for the program, they must meet one of the three qualifications: limited English speaking, low income or homeless.

The Texas Education Agency has mandated districts to offer prekindergarten programs to these students because research suggests that children who participate in a well-balanced academic program at 3 or 4-years of age will achieve more and are less likely to drop out of school later.

The early years is a critical stage in childhood development said Deborah Bodrick, DISD executive director–Early Childhood Education (PK-3).

“Research shows that children who start school early in a high quality program have more success with their education,” she said. “Prekindergarten programs enhance the child's overall learning experience. It is a success story that the district is able to offer a prekindergarten program to children who might not otherwise get this type of academic exposure.”

Funded by the state, the DISD program consists of a variety of direct learning experiences for most of the instructional day. With at least 22 students per program, all classes will have one certified teacher and an assistant. The students will be exposed to a well-balanced curriculum which not only includes the core courses, but also fine arts, health and physical education.

In addition to the academic component, Bodrick says students are with children their own age which helps them develop social interaction skills.

Bodrick said approximately 75 percent of the 6,336 students have already registered for school. Parents must register their children at the designated school in their neighborhood. To register in a prekindergarten program, parents must have the child's birth certificate and shot records. The birth certificate is only used to verify the child's age.