TYLER, Texas — Tonight, The Tyler Loop is hosting a community forum to answer questions and address any concerns people may have about Tyler ISD’s Head Start and Pre-K programs.
The forum will consist of early childhood education experts on the panel:
- Dr. Christy Hanson, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for TISD
- Cory McCoy, Education reporter for Tyler Morning Telegraph
- Christina Fulsom, CEO of the East Texas Human Needs Network
Many people raised concerns when TISD announced it would end its Head Start program. However, the district's final decision was to keep Head Start and add full-day Pre-K classes throughout the district.
Wraparound services will be one of the main topics up for discussion. These services will help families with things such as health care and vision screenings. Cory McCoy, with the Tyler Morning Telegraph, says early childhood education is crucial for young children to excel in their education.
“If a child starts behind they're more likely to stay behind,” McCoy said. “If the district can't catch them up on reading level by third grade, they're never going to catch up, according to most experts. So families really need that knowledge to help them figure out how to get their child on track to be successful.”