By Michael Wood, Vice President, Education & Workforce
Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, Dallas ISD will offer universal, tuition-free pre-K for three- and four-year-olds eligible to attend Dallas ISD schools, following unanimous approval by the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees.
Here’s what parents of young children need to know about the new initiative.
The initiative will expand access to Dallas ISD’s robust pre-K offerings at no cost to families
Dallas ISD has long offered full-day pre-K options throughout the district, including tuition-free pre-K for families meeting state eligibility criteria. Families that did not qualify under the state’s criteria could enroll in tuition-based pre-K, based on availability. During the 2025-26 academic year, tuition for full-day pre-K in Dallas ISD was $5,000.
Under the new plan, this cost will be waived for all families, including those that do not meet the state’s pre-K eligibility guidelines.
Two other school districts in North Texas—Arlington and Fort Worth ISDs—offer universal, tuition-free pre-K for four-year-olds. Dallas ISD is the first district locally to expand universal free pre-K access to three-year-old students, and their leadership in expanding access to quality pre-k will have positive impacts on academic achievement for students and workforce participation rates for parents of young children.
Pre-K attendance improves academic outcomes
The benefits of pre-K participation for students are far-reaching. In the short term, pre-K dramatically improves school readiness. In Dallas ISD, 52% of pre-K students were considered kindergarten-ready at the start of the 2025-26 school year, compared to just 24% for students that did not attend pre-K. Across Dallas County, pre-K students are 92% more likely to demonstrate kindergarten-readiness than their peers.
In the long-term, analysis by The Commit Partnership suggests pre-K attendance has a positive impact on school absenteeism, high school graduation rates and even lifetime earnings potential.
How to enroll your child in Dallas ISD pre-K
Open enrollment for Dallas ISD’s pre-K programs for the 2026-27 school year began on April 1 and will continue until all seats are filled.
To enroll in Dallas ISD pre-K, a student must be three- or four-years-old by September 1, 2026, depending on the program, and eligible to attend a Dallas ISD school.
For additional information on the registration process, please visit Dallas ISD’s pre-K registration webpage. Parents may also contact Dallas ISD directly at their Pre-K Enrollment Hotline, (214) 932-7735.
If you reside outside of Dallas ISD and are interested in pre-K options near you, please visit Pre-K DFW.