Pre-K Charter School Options and Resources in San Antonio

pre-k charter school students clapping hands in san antonio

For many San Antonio families, sending our kids to preschool is a given. I was fortunate enough for each of my four kids to go to some sort of pre-k program, whether it was out of necessity for work, or because we wanted to give our kids a head start in their schooling. 

As a result, my kids entered kindergarten with a better understanding of what was expected of them throughout the school day; and research shows numerous other benefits for children who attend preschool. Early childhood education programs can help a child in their cognitive development, social skills, communication skills, and contribute to their later success in school and beyond.

But pre-K programs aren’t always within every family’s grasp, and it was certainly a struggle for us at times. Fortunately, there are a number of public and private schools and organizations in San Antonio that offer free or low-cost programs, as well as other resources that support local families with preschool age kids. 

When researching programs for your pre-k students, be sure to consider whether they offer a full day program or morning/afternoon session only, what the teacher ratio is, what the wait list and application process is like, what their curriculum includes, and any other important things that are relevant for your family.

In addition to our list of pre-k charter school programs and resources below, be sure to visit our guide to charter schools and download our San Antonio Charter School App and filter through pre-k programs at public charter schools in your area. 

Pre-K Charter School Programs in San Antonio 

Advanced Learning Academy 

621 W. Euclid Ave.

Serves PK–3rd grade at the Euclid campus; serves grades 4–12 at the Main Ave. campus

SAISD In-District Charter; part of CAST Schools 


Ball Academy

343 Koehler Ct.

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Barkley-Ruiz Elementary

1111 S. Navidad St.

Serves PK–6th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Bexar County Academy

1485 Hillcrest Dr. 

Serves PK3–8th grade

Open Enrollment


Bowden Academy

515 Willow St.

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Briscoe Elementary

2015 S. Flores St.

Serves PK–5th grade

SAISD In-District Charter; International Baccalaureate


Cameron Elementary

3635 Belgium Ln.

Serves PK–5th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Cotton Academy

1616 Blanco Rd.

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Democracy Prep at the Stewart Campus

1950 Rigsby Ave.

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter; partnership with Democracy Prep


Fenwick Academy

1930 Waverly Ave.

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter; International Baccalaureate


Foundation School of Autism

2235 Thousand Oaks Dr., Ste. 130

Serves PK3–1st grade

Open Enrollment; part of ResponsiveEd


Gardendale Elementary Early Learning Program

1731 Dahlgreen

Serves PK–2nd grade

Edgewood ISD In-District Charter School; partnership with Pre-K 4 SA


Gates Elementary

510 Morningview Dr.

Serves PK–6th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


George Gervin Academy

6944 S. Sunbelt Dr. 

Serves PK–12th grade

Open Enrollment


George Gervin Academy—El Hombre de Hielo

4205 San Pedro Ave.

Serves PK–5th grade

Open Enrollment


Gonzales Early Childhood Center

518 E Magnolia Ave.

Serves PK3–PK4 

SAISD In-District Charter


Harmony School of Excellence San Antonio 

2015 SW Loop 410

Serves PK–5th grade

Open Enrollment; part of Harmony Public Schools


Harmony School of Innovation San Antonio 

8125 Glen Mont Dr.

Serves PK–8th grade

Open Enrollment; part of Harmony Public Schools


Heritage Academy of San Antonio 

8750 Fourwinds Dr. 

Serves PK–8th grade

Open Enrollment


Huppertz Elementary

247 Bangor Dr.

Serves PK–5th grade

SAISD In-District Charter; International Baccalaureate


IDEA Public Schools

(Select San Antonio locations)

Serves PK + higher grades, depending on the campus

Open Enrollment


Irving Dual Language Academy

1300 Delgado St. 

Serves PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Jubilee Academies

(Select San Antonio locations)

Serves PK + higher grades, depending on the campus

Open Enrollment


Lamar Elementary

201 Parland Pl.

Serves PK3–6th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Lighthouse Public Schools

8138 Westshire

Serves PK3–9th grade

Open Enrollment


Pre-K Academy at West Avenue

3915 West Ave.

Serves PK4 

North East ISD In-District Charter; limited to residents of North East ISD 


Rodriguez Montessori Elementary

3626 W. César E. Chávez Blvd.

Serves PK3–2nd grade in 2021–2022; expanding to PK3–5th

SAISD In-District Charter


School of Excellence in Education

(Select San Antonio Locations)

Serves PK + higher grades, depending on the campus

Open Enrollment


School of Science and Technology

(Select San Antonio Locations)

Serves PK + higher grades, depending on the campus

Open Enrollment


Southwest Preparatory School

(Select San Antonio Locations)

Serves PK + higher grades, depending on the campus

Open Enrollment


Steele Montessori

722 Haggin St. 

Serves grades PK3–5th grades in 2021–2022; expanding to PK3–8th

SAISD In-District Charter


Twain Dual Language Academy

2411 San Pedro Ave. 

Serves PK–7th grade in 2021–2022; expanding to PK–8th grade

SAISD In-District Charter


Woodlawn Hills Elementary

110 W. Quill Dr.

Serves PK–5th grade

SAISD In-District Charter; International Baccalaureate

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. 

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Amy Johnson