Pre-school grants from the Annie E. Casey Foundation promote education.

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http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/tag/annie-e-casey-foundation/

Texas ranks in the bottom third of states in the share of its needy children who attend preschool, according to a report released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Two thirds of low income 3 year olds and 4 year olds in Texas are not enrolled in preschool, says the report, The First Eight Years: Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success.

“All children need nurturing and plentiful opportunities to develop during their crucial first eight years,” said Patrick McCarthy, the foundation’s president and CEO.

In 2011, the Legislature eliminated a $200 million grant program to help school districts either start prekindergarten classes or expand them to full day. In this year’s session, budget writers didn’t undo that action but put $30 million into school funding formulas for prekindergarten.

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1. Wendy Davis wants to expand the effort to have state-wide Pre-Kindergarten. n/t