Registration for Blanco ISD’s Pre-K program for the 2009 – 2010 school year will begin on Wednesday, July 29, at the Elementary School.

To be eligible for Pre-K, students must be four years old by September 1, 2009.

According to state requirements, students who fall in the following categories are eligible to enroll in Pre-K tuition free:

Economically disadvantaged, English language learners, homeless, previous or current foster care, and military families.

In addition, for the first time, Blanco ISD will offer tuition-based Pre-K slots for all students who are not eligible for the tuition-free Pre-K program.

The Pre-K program is a full day program, with tuition set at $ 4,000 per year. The district has three payment options: 1) one lump sum payment of $ 4,000 on August 1, 2) two $ 2,000 payments, effective on August 1 and January 4 respectively, or 3) ten $ 400 payments, effective at the beginning of each month, with the first payment beginning on August 1, and the last payment on May 1.

Research conducted by the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University found the following benefits of a quality Pre-K education:

•Increased graduation and retention rates and increased lifetime earnings

•Mothers of participants also received increased lifetime earnings and increased income

•Benefits of Pre-K are particularly large for children from low-income and minority households

•A conservative estimate is that for every dollar invested in universally-accessible, high-quality pre-kindergarten, the State of Texas will receive $ 3.50 in return

Dr. Buck Ford, Blanco ISD Superintendent, said, “We are investing in our Pre-K program. We have been approved for a Pre-K grant, which provides support and professional development for our teachers, and ensures that we will be in the loop on all the latest educational trends and best practices regarding Pre-K education. The grant provides for 5-years of funding.”

“In addition, we have hired two additional teachers in the Pre-K department, which will provide for a smaller student-teacher ratio and an excellent learning environment. We believe this will save taxpayer money by reducing the need for costly remedial education and improving graduation rates. Also, we believe this aligns with our district goals by best preparing our students for college and post-high school readiness by providing a quality educational foundation upon which to build upon.”