Pre-K Charter School Options and Resources in San Antonio

San Antonio families know about the benefits of enrolling their children in high quality early childhood education programs, but the cost of preschool can be intimidating. Fortunately, there are a number of San Antonio charter schools that offer pre-K. For families who are eligible, these charter schools offer tuition-fee pre-K. Students who don’t qualify for free pre-K may still be able to enroll at a reduced tuition rate; we recommend that you ask each program for details about eligibility and costs.

When researching pre-K at charter schools, it’s good to ask questions to make sure the school is a good fit for your children. Some preschools follow a child-centered learning model, such as Montessori; we have a blog post to help you learn more about different learning models. Depending on your family’s schedule, you may be looking for a half-day program or a full-day program; you may also need before- and after-school care to match with your work schedule. The class size, number of teachers and aides, and the student-teacher ratio are all factors that impact the school culture. Preschool students are too young to take the STAAR test, so their performance is not reflected in school report cards.

The schools listed in this preschool guide are all public schools, including open enrollment public charter schools, in-district charter schools that are part of traditional public school districts, and municipal entities. For more information about these terms, have a look at our blog post about school models. Elsewhere on this website you’ll find helpful information about private preschools. We have an overall list of choice schools in San Antonio on our guide page.

Each of these schools has its own enrollment process and application timeline. We have a blog post to help you understand the overall school search timeline. Some good rules of thumb: you should start your search about a year before your child would start school, and you should apply to more than one school to improve their chances of getting an offer to enroll rather than being waitlisted. A key date to remember for early childhood programs is the September 1 cutoff. In order for your child to enroll in kindergarten, they will need to turn five years old by September 1 of that school year; the same rule applies for students turning four to enroll in PK-4 and students turning three to enroll in PK-3.

We hope these resources help you find a high quality early childhood education program that you can afford and will help your children start to develop the social and academic skills that will help them succeed in kindergarten—and have fun!

San Antonio Charter Schools that Offer Pre-K

Bexar County Academy

1485 Hillcrest Dr., San Antonio, TX 78228 (map); 210-432-8600; grades PK3–8

Compass Rose Public Schools

Compass Rose Dream: 6660 First Park Ten Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78240 (map); 210-900-3863; grades PK–7 in 2024–25
Compass Rose Ingenuity: 500 Billy Mitchell Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78226 (map; at Port San Antonio); 210-890-8452; grades PK4–10 in 2024–25, expanding to PK4–12
Compass Rose Journey: 100 Crestwind Dr., San Antonio, TX 78239 (map; in Windcrest); 210-890-8451; grades PK4–8 in 2024–25, expanding to PK4–12
Compass Rose Legacy: 3300 Sidney Brooks, San Antonio, TX 78235 (map; at Brooks); 210-890-8444; grades PK4–12

East Central ISD Schools of Choice

Oak Crest Dual Language Immersion Academy: 7806 New Sulphur Springs, San Antonio, TX 78263 (map); 210-634-6300; grades PK–5
Pecan Valley STEM Academy: 3966 E. Southcross Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78222 (map); 210-634-6000; grades PK–5
Salado Dual Language Immersion Academy: 3602 S. W.W. White Rd., San Antonio, TX 78222 (map); 210-648-3310; grades PK–5

Edgewood ISD Schools of Innovation

Gardendale Early Learning Program: 1731 Dahlgreen Ave., San Antonio, TX 78237; (map); 210-898-4190; serves grades PK–2
Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary: 2803 Castroville Rd., San Antonio, TX 78237 (map); 210-898-4230; grades PK–5
Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary: 6515 W. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-898-4240; grades PK–5
Loma Park Elementary: 400 Aurora Ave., San Antonio, TX 78228 (map); 210-898-4220; grades PK3–5
Perales STEAM Elementary: 1507 Ceralvo St., San Antonio, TX 78237 (map); 210-898-4260; grades PK–5

Essence Prep

439 SE Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78220 (map); 210-997-5636; serving grades PK–6 in 2023–24, expanding to grades PK–8

Foundation School for Autism

2235 Thousand Oaks Dr., Ste. 130, San Antonio, TX 78232 (map); 210-402-0253; grades PK3–1

George Gervin Academy

George Gervin Academy: 6944 S. Sunbelt Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218 (map); 210-568-8800; grades PK–12
George Gervin Academy at Blanco: 5210 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, TX 78212 (map); 210-320-0796; grades PK–5
George Gervin Academy at Carmelite: 2006 Martin Luther King Dr., San Antonio, TX 78203 (map); 210-568-8800, ext. 2504; grades PK3–PK4

George Gervin Academy also has community partnerships to provide pre-K at additional locations. These partners include Parent Child Incorporated (PCI), Family Service Association, Bailey’s Child Development Center, and Books & Bibs Learning Academy.

Harmony Public Schools—San Antonio

Harmony School of Excellence—San Antonio: 2015 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-645-7166; grades PK3–5
Harmony School of Innovation—San Antonio: 8125 Glen Mont Dr., San Antonio, TX 78239 (map); 210-265-1715; grades PK3–8
Harmony School of Science—San Antonio: 5566 Wiseman Blvd., San Antonio, Texas 78253 (map); 210-267-9954; grades PK4–7 in 2023–24, expanding to PK–12

Heritage Academy

8750 Fourwinds Dr., Windcrest, TX 78239 (map); 210-354-7753; grades PK–8

Jubilee Academies

Jubilee—Highland Hills: 1515 Goliad Rd., San Antonio, TX 78223 (map); 210-634-7590; grades PK–8
Jubilee—Lake View University Prep: 325 Castroville Rd., San Antonio TX 78207 (map); 210-963-3900; grades PK–12
Jubilee—San Antonio: 4427 Chandler, San Antonio TX 78222 (map); 210-278-3880; grades PK–12
Jubilee—Westwood: 8038 W. Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-819-9387; grades PK–8

KIPP Texas—San Antonio Public Schools

KIPP Somos Primary: 8915 Callaghan Rd., San Antonio, TX 78230 (map); grades PK4–2 in 2023–24, growing to PK4–5; 210-888-6420

Legacy Traditional School—Texas

Legacy Traditional School—Alamo Ranch: 13632 Old FM 471, San Antonio, TX 78253 (map); 210-239-2737; grades PK–8
Legacy Traditional School—Basse Primary and Secondary: 1826 Basse Rd., San Antonio, TX 78213 (map); 210-431-9881; grades PK3–12

Lighthouse Public Schools

8138 Westshire Dr., San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-236-7693; mobile app; grades PK3–12

North East ISD Magnet Schools

Pre-K Academy at West Avenue: 3915 West Ave, San Antonio, TX 78213 (map); 210-407-8600; grade PK; open to students who live in NEISD, with priority for students zoned for Dellview, Olmos, Jackson-Keller, Castle Hills, or Colonial Hills elementary schools (all in the LEE cluster)

Pre-K 4 SA

East Education Center: 5230 Eisenhauer Rd., San Antonio, TX 78218 (map); 210-206-2850; DFPS Child Care
North Education Center: 3635 Medical Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229 (map); 210-206-2800; DFPS Child Care
South Education Center: located through May 2024 at 7031 S. New Braunfels Ave., San Antonio, TX 78223 (map); relocating by August 2024 to the corner of S. W.W. White Rd. and E. Southcross (map); 210-206-2700; DFPS Child Care
West Education Center: 1235 Old Hwy. 90, San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-206-2900; DFPS Child Care

Prelude Prep

1707 Centennial Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78211 (map); 210-780-7661; grades PK–4 in 2023–24, expanding to PK–8

SAISD Choice Schools

Advanced Learning Academy (ALA): 621 W. Euclid Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 (map) for grades PK–3; 210-738-9760; part of the CAST Schools network
Ball Elementary—dual language, project-based learning: 343 Koehler Ct., San Antonio, TX 78223 (map); 210-438-6845; grades PK–8
Bonham Academy at Green—dual language, fine arts, STEAM: 122 W. Whittier Street, San Antonio, TX 78210 (map); 210-228-3325; grades PK–2
Bowden Academy—dual language, project-based learning: 515 Willow St., San Antonio, TX 78202 (map); 210-738-9770; grades K–8 and Head Start PK3–PK4
Briscoe Elementary—International Baccalaureate and dual language: 2015 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204 (map); 210-228-3305; grades PK–5
Cameron Elementary—critical thinking: 3635 Belgium Ln., San Antonio, TX 78219 (map); 210-978-7960; grades K–5 and Head Start PK3–PK4
Cotton Academy at Beacon Hill—dual language, critical thinking: 1411 W. Ashby Pl., San Antonio, TX 78201 (map); 210-738-9765; grades PK–2
Democracy Prep at the Stewart Campus: 1950 Rigsby Ave., San Antonio, TX 78210 (map); 210-438-6875; grades PK–8; read more about Democracy Prep
Fenwick Academy—International Baccalaureate, fine arts: 1930 Waverly Ave., San Antonio, TX 78228 (map); 210-438-6540; grades PK–8
Graebner Elementary School—family/community engagement, dual language: 530 Hoover Ave., San Antonio, TX 78225 (map); 210-228-3320; grades PK–5 and Head Start PK3–PK4; school report card—rated C
Irving Dual Language Academy: 1300 Delgado St., San Antonio, TX 78207 (map); 210-738-9740; grades PK–8; school report card—not rated
Ogden Elementary—dual language: 2215 Leal St., San Antonio, TX 78207 (map); 210-738-9815; grades PK–5; school report card—rated B
Rodriguez Montessori Elementary—Montessori, dual language: 3626 W. César E. Chávez Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78207 (map); 210-554-2660; grades PK–5
Steele Montessori Academy: current location at 722 Haggin St., San Antonio, TX 78210 (map); location for 2024–25 to be determined; 210-438-6870; grades PK–8; school report card—r
Twain Dual Language Academy at Gonzales: 518 E. Magnolia Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 (map); 210-438-6830; grades PK–2
Woodlawn Academy—International Baccalaureate, dual language: 1717 W. Magnolia Ave., San Antonio, TX 78201 (map); 210-438-6560; grades PK–8
Woodlawn Hills Elementary—International Baccalaureate, dual language: 110 W. Quill Dr., San Antonio, TX 78228 (map); 210-438-6565; grades PK–5
Young Women’s Leadership Academy at Page Primary (YWLA Primary)—single-gender campus: 401 Berkshire Ave., San Antonio, TX 78210 (map); 210-438-6525; grades PK–5

School of Science and Technology (SST)

School of Science and Technology—Alamo: 11214 N. Weidner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78233 (map); 210-657-6400; grades PK–6
School of Science and Technology—Discovery: 5707 Bandera Rd., Leon Valley, TX 78238 (map); 210-543-1111; grades PK–8
School of Science and Technology—Hill Country: 9202 W Loop 1604 N, San Antonio, TX 78254 (map); 210-350-8943; grades PK–6 at SST—Hill Country
School of Science and Technology—Northwest: 12042 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78253 (map); 210-763-1713; grades PK–8
School of Science and Technology—Schertz Early Elementary & Schertz: SST—Schertz Early Elementary at 908 Fairlawn Ave., Schertz, TX 78154 (map); 830-625-2516; grades PK–2

Southwest Preparatory School (Southwest Prep)

Southwest Preparatory School—Northeast: 1258 Austin Hwy., San Antonio, TX 78209 (map); 210-829-8017; grades PK4–12
Southwest Preparatory School—Northwest: 6535 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78238 (map); 210-432-2634; grades PK3–9
Southwest Preparatory School—Seguin: 2400 E. Walnut St., Seguin, TX 78155 (map); 830-549-5930 or 210-992-7866; grades PK4–12
Southwest Preparatory School—Southeast: 735 S. W.W. White Rd., San Antonio, TX 78220 (map); 210-333-1403; grades PK4–12

Other San Antonio Pre-K Resources

Pre-K 4 SA

Probably the most well-known pre-K resource in San Antonio is the city-funded Pre-K 4 SA program, which has partnerships with local school districts to serve eligible four-year-olds. Eighty percent of the enrolled students are eligible to attend tuition-free, and the other 20 percent pay tuition on a sliding scale. There are currently four Pre-K 4 SA campuses. Fine more information in our enrollment guide blog post.

NAEYC

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers resources for parents, including tips for what to look for in a program. Accreditation by the NAEYC is a sign of a high quality early childhood education program.

Official Texas Child Care Search

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services offers an online search so families can locate licensed child care centers and in-home daycares. For each child care center, the profile includes data on inspections, incidents, deficiencies, etc.

Ask for Scholarship Information

If you’re looking outside of the above resources, be sure to look into whether the preschool programs you’re researching offer scholarships or sliding-scale tuition options. Many of them will have information on their website if they do, and you can always ask in a brief phone call.