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HB2 will curtail Northside’s tuition‑based pre‑K; district weighs keeping 3‑year‑old options or expanding qualifying pre‑K3 slots
Summary
Staff told trustees House Bill 2 limits tuition-based pre-K programs beginning 2027–28 and prevents district expansion of pre‑K3 slots without state intermediary approval; staff recommended a path forward that would either grandfather current tuition students for 2026–27 or expand qualifying pre‑K3 offerings with limited seats.
District early‑childhood staff briefed trustees on how House Bill 2 will affect the district’s recently created tuition‑based pre‑K program and potential pre‑K3 offerings.
What HB2 changes: Staff said HB2 (as implemented via guidance from Region 20/TEA) will prohibit most tuition‑based pre‑K programs beginning in 2027–28 unless a designated state partnership intermediary certifies there are no childcare seats available in the district. The law also constrains expansion of pre‑K3 unless districts accept qualifying seats and follow TEA rules; pre‑K4 qualifiers (homelessness, low socioeconomic status, emergent bilingual, etc.) must be accepted for pre‑K4 but pre‑K3 can be limited via lottery/waitlist if the board adopts such a policy.
Options presented: (1) Discontinue the tuition pre‑K for 2027–28, grandfather the small set of 3‑year‑olds who would be age‑eligible for one year (roughly 35 children turning 4 next year), and stop new tuition registrations; or (2) expand the pre‑K program to accept qualifying 3‑year‑olds with a limited number of spots (staff suggested creating a board policy and lottery/waitlist model). Staff recommended Option 2 for equity and retention reasons but noted the district cannot continue a district‑wide tuition program for all Northside employees under current law.
Why it matters: Staff said the district currently has about 121 tuition 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds across classrooms, and the program has been operationally successful; HB2's rules create urgency for decisions and outreach because families expect child‑care options and the state eligibility lists arrive on April 1 each year.
Next steps: Staff recommended bringing a formal item back to the board (Dec. 9) and developing communications for impacted families. Trustees discussed limits, the possibility of district-funded employee childcare and the wider policy environment (future legislative changes expected in 2027).
