What would a universal pre-K program mean for Texans?

Congress has been considering changes that would significantly alter early childhood education in Texas by giving all 3- and 4-year-olds access to free pre-kindergarten.

The program is part of a Biden administration social spending plan that would change how the state approaches early childhood education — but it has some significant hurdles.

The plan still needs to pass the U.S. Senate. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, is a key swing vote whose position could determine the fate of the legislation.

On Sunday, Manchin said he would not support the massive social spending proposal, imperiling its chances of becoming law. The Senate still plans to hold a vote on the legislation next year. If it fails, lawmakers will probably try other means to pass the pre-K measure.

Pre-K has been a hot topic in the Texas Legislature for years. A 2019 bill instituted free full-day pre-K for eligible 4-year-olds.

If the federal plan becomes law, individual states would decide whether to opt into the universal pre-K program. Early childhood education exports in Texas say there’s no telling whether the state would adopt the program.

“If only I had a crystal ball,” said Kim Kofron, the director of early childhood for Children at Risk, a nonprofit research and advocacy group in Texas.

How would it affect Texans?

Currently, a select number of 4-year-olds in Texas are eligible for free pre-K.

They include those who qualify for free or reduced lunch, are homeless, are in foster care (or previously in foster care), and those unable to speak or understand English. School districts with fewer than 15 eligible students do not have to provide the free pre-K.

The Texas House of Representatives earlier this year created a bipartisan early childhood caucus that works on pre-K issues.

“Pre-K is one of the more bipartisan issues, there are certainly champions on both sides,” said Monty Exter, a senior lobbyist for the Association of Texas Professional Educators. “But there are a fair number of folks who definitely view pre-K in the lens of a nanny state and are not champions of pre-K.”

Congress’ program would change how pre-K is delivered in Texas, which was one of the first states to institute state-funded pre-K.

Currently, the state only gives money to schools to develop free pre-K programs, said Kara Waddell, the president and CEO of Child Care Associates, an organization in Fort Worth that works with local child care providers to provide early learning opportunities for Texans.

But the language in the universal pre-K program specifies that there would be a mixed delivery system. This means that instead of only schools offering free pre-K, the state must also offer free pre-K in places such as local child care centers and community-based early learning centers.

Waddell said this mixed delivery system would be appealing to some families.

“They get pre-K while they’re attending child care. And I think that that’s the kind of ecosystem approach that we’re going to be needing to think through,” Waddell said.

Advocates of the program from Congress say it would be a monumental step in expanding early childhood education access statewide, especially given the pandemic’s impacts on the industry.

A report in February from Children at Risk, the nonprofit research and advocacy group, found that in the early months of the pandemic, 25% of all child care centers closed in Texas.

“We really need to build back from the pandemic. We know we lost programs and teachers. So we really need to make sure we are giving that industry a boost,” Kofron said.

Would Texas opt in?

Under Congress’ program, the federal government will cover the costs for the first three years. The program is slated to run for six years, and in the remaining years, states would have to pay for an increasing amount of the program.

In the fourth year, states would have to pay 10% of all costs. That number increases to 25% in the fifth year and 40% in the sixth year.

Waddell said a key factor that could determine whether Texas would adopt the program is if it is willing to meet the funding requirements.

Chuck DeVore is the vice president of national initiatives for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank. He said Texas might refuse to adopt the program because of the funding requirement and six-year length..

“At the end of the six years, Texas would be responsible for picking up the entire tab,” DeVore said.

Knustrom, who works for the government affairs group Texas Star Alliance, said Texas lawmakers’ opposition to the entire social spending plan might also doom the chances of the state adopting the universal pre-K program.

Knustrom thinks Texas politicians “may see it as too much government spending” and refuse to participate in any of the programs from the plan.

“There are flavors of universal pre-K that would likely not be objectionable at all to leadership,” Knustrom said. “If the price tag on the total bill is too high I think that would likely make it a no go for Texas.”

Gov. Greg Abbott’s office did not respond to a request for comment about adopting the program if it becomes law.

Some supporters of the program are more optimistic that Texas would adopt the program.

David Feigen is the early childhood policy associate for Texans Care for Children. He said preliminary conversations between supporters of the program and state policymakers have not centered on the possible challenges that could arise from establishing the program.

“We’re excited about the bill, hope it passes through Congress and hopeful that Texas will ensure that we take advantage of the opportunity,” Feigen said.

Waddell agreed.

“I tend to believe that deep down when it comes to young children, Texans will put children first. And that’s not to be naive. It’s just to say deep down, ‘we care about families in Texas,’” she said.