Summer vacation has just begun but Dallas ISD is already reaching out in an effort to keep existing students and add thousands of pre-kindergarten students next school year.
If DISD does not succeed, it stands to lose out on additional funding the students would bring in.
DISD will be going to some neighborhoods hosting 'Rock the Block' events to try and convince parents to keep students from leaving the district for surrounding charter schools. The goal is to recruit students back to the district.
Officials have also set up space for enrollments at district headquarters in North Dallas.
The goal is to make enrollment a one-stop-shop for parents, including those who want to enroll their child in pre-K3, pre-K4 or kindergarten.
There are currently 8,000 students enrolled in pre-K programs, according to the district. The enrollment goal next school year is 13,000.
The number, which is higher than last year's enrollment, was set after the district looked at how much space is available for the upcoming school year.
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If the district does not meet the goal, it stands to lose out on the potential funding each student would bring into the district.
"We get specific funding by student, by child," said Yesenia Ramirez, Director of Family and Community Early Learning for DISD. "That funding gets used at all these campuses and that's how they pay for extra things, materials and everything we need for students. So for us, money is not the important part, I know it's very helpful, for us our focus is more on being able to help our child be academically successful.”
Representatives from the district will be hosting a 'Rock the Block' event on Thursday at the Park Village Apartments in South Dallas from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
