This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s fourteen-year effort to build a more equitable early childhood education system—an undertaking rooted in the city’s fight against generational poverty. Host Bob Rivard traces the origins of Pre-K 4 SA, from its formation by a blue-ribbon task force under then-Mayor Julián Castro, to the launch of universal pre-K centers across the city, and its ongoing impact on young children and working families.
Bob is joined by Peter J. Holt (chair of Early Matters and CEO of Holt Group and Spurs Sports & Entertainment), Mark Larson (Executive Director of Early Matters), and Sarah Baray, Ph.D. (CEO of Pre-K 4 SA), for a candid discussion about the opportunities and gaps that remain.
They discuss:
• How San Antonio became a statewide and national model for early childhood investment—and where it still lags in quality and access
• The ongoing struggle to raise wages and professional standards for early childhood educators
• The systemic challenges of scaling up early education, including the limits of state funding and the realities facing working families
• The role of employers, business leaders, and city policy in expanding access to high-quality child care
• What it will take—in partnerships, policy changes, and private investment—to meet San Antonio’s ambitious goals for its youngest residents
For those concerned with the future of education, workforce development, and social mobility in San Antonio, this episode offers an in-depth look at the city’s approach, its tough trade-offs, and the prospects for true progress.
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RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:
▶️ #98. Public School Funding in Texas: What San Antonio’s Business Leaders Want Lawmakers to Fix – School funding and early childhood education are deeply connected in shaping San Antonio’s future. In this episode, Bob Rivard sits down with civic leaders Mario Barrera and Luis Rodriguez to unpack the urgent funding challenges facing Texas schools—and how business leaders are pushing lawmakers to act. 🔗 Listen Here.
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