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Eligibility Requirements for Pre-K:

• Unable to speak and comprehend the English language
  
• Educationally disadvantaged according to NSLP guidelines in sections 4 & 6 of the Administrator's Reference Manual (ARM)
• Homeless as defined by 42 USC, §11434a
• Child of an active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States
• Child of an active-duty member of the armed forces who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
• Currently or has ever been in the conservatorship of DFPS
• Child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award for a:
• Peace Officer (Texas Government Code §3106.002)
  
• Firefighter (Texas Government Code §3106.003)
• Emergency Medical First Responder (Texas Government Code §3106.004)

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Do you have teachers in need of in-class coaching in order to meet the HQPK Additional Teacher Requirements?

If so, contact us so we can create a plan for your teacher(s) and your district!

Carey Peacock

Early Childhood Specialist

Carey.Peacock@esc15.net

David Bedford

Director of Curriculum & Instruction

David.Bedford@esc15.net

• Head Start and Childcare classroom teachers may participate in a 3-year project that provides curriculum, coaching, training in best practices, and incentive pay at the end of each year of participation.
  
• The TSR Project is available for Head Start and Childcare teachers who work with infants, toddlers, three-year-olds, and Pre-K students.
  
• Contact AJ Braden if interested. Amanda.Braden@esc15.net
  

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A Prekindergarten teacher's primary focus is to teach what is included in the Texas Pre-K Guidelines (TPGs). Using the TPGs, teachers can work across subjects to provide many rich opportunities for children to acquire knowledge and skills through intentional play and exploration experiences.

Adopted curricula are instructional materials and resources meant to enhance the teaching of the TPGs.

**Districts may use a locally designed curriculum as long as the curriculum aligns with the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

The district should have evidence of the alignment of their locally designed curriculum to the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

Districts and open-enrollment charters must collect data regarding student progress in the following 5 required domains: (The corresponding assessment measure in CIRCLE Progress Monitoring is in red.)

• Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication (Rapid Vocabulary)
  
• Emergent Literacy: Reading (Rapid Letter Naming)
  
• Emergent Literacy: Writing (Early Writing Skills Checklist)
  
• Mathematics (All measures within core Mathematics)
  
• Health and Wellness (All measures within the Social & Emotional Checklist)
  
• Phonological Awareness is highly recommended since it is foundational to reading readiness.
  

These must be assessed at both the beginning (BOY - within first 60 days) and end (EOY) of the year by using one or more of the tools on the Commissioner's list. This raw data is submitted to the Early Childhood Data System (ECDS) annually.

*MOY assessments are not required but highly recommended for accurate data driven instruction.*

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• Conduct BOY assessments using an approved tool within the first 60 days of starting school.
• Conduct EOY assessment using an approved tool
• BOY & EOY assessments must include ALL 5 required domains.
• Notify families about student progress at least 3 times per year. (Utilizing MOY assessments are highly encouraged.)
• Submit BOY & EOY assessment data into ECDS between November 13, 2023 and June 27, 2024.
  

• BOY recommended assessment window
  
• ECDS window opens for BOY submission
• MOY assessment window
• EOY assessment window
• ECDS window closes for BOY & EOY sumbissions
  

Within the first 60 days of starting school

November 13, 2023

January 2024 - February 2024

April 2024 - May 2024

June 27, 2024

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Strong family engagement is central to promoting children’s development and supporting their academic achievement.

Here are a couple of sample templates to help your district get started:

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Teacher/student ratios are a key quality indicator in early childhood education. Better ratios are instrumental in improving child outcomes by increasing opportunities for the teaching staff to maximize the individual interactions and educational instruction given to each student.

*Districts may not enroll more than 22 Pre-K students in a classroom.

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This high-quality component encompasses an ongoing process to improve student outcomes. It involves internal reflection and an evaluation of current practices to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth as a means for continuous improvement.

Here are a couple of pre-recorded webinars that explain the HQPK Evaluation and the HQPK Self-Assessment to help your district get started.

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Getting ready to start a High-Quality Prekindergarten Program in your district?

Check out this toolkit!

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