The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District began the School Age Parenting Program in the spring of 1989. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of students who drop out of school due to pregnancy and parenthood, and to help students under the age of 21 graduate from high school. We empower each student with the skills and education that will allow them to meet their short and long term goals. Helping these parents graduate from high school will enable them to become self-sufficient, responsible, and job-oriented citizens and parents.

To provide support to improve the academic skills and overall well-being of low-income teen parents (male and female, ages 12-21) who have limited access to community resources. The program is designed to improve school attendance, increase graduation rates, and enhance parenting skills for all teen parents who are at risk of dropping out of school.

The program objectives include:

1. Individual counseling, peer counseling and self- help programs

2. Career counseling and job-readiness training

3. Child care for the students children on campus or near campus

4. Transportation for children of students to and from the campus or child care facility

5. Transportation for the students, as appropriate, to and from the campus or child care facility

6. Instruction related to knowledge and skills in child development, parenting and home and family living

7. Assistance to students in the program in obtaining available services from government agencies or community service organizations, including prenatal and postnatal health and nutrition programs.

The following services are provided as components in prevention of drop out:

• Case Management- (1) licensed social worker and Interns as scheduled
• Parenting Education- (1) teacher- 2 classes and a self paced class available
• Child Care- available for teen parents instructional day, TEEM Class room for PreK
• Transportation- busing for teen parents and infants with car seats and door to door service (home to CDC)
• Home Instruction/CEHI- Compensatory Education Home Instruction
• Support Groups- Strengthening Relationships, Parent, Father, Mother, Sex Education, Drugs and Alcohol, Women’s Center (Family Violence)- In-Services/Parent Meetings/Newsletter/Afterschool - each is done monthly
• Coordination- of individualized services and programs
• Counseling- as needed, group and individual, Collaborations with Strengthening Families which includes intensive group coordination
• Career/Tech. Education- all parents develop their academic goals and review of the goals is scheduled
• Child Development Education- parenting classes and in conjunction with inservices and on a 1:1, as needed
• Resource and Referral- collaborations with many community agencies
• Follow-Up program- 1 year past drop out, withdrawal or graduation with continued linkage of services and/or return to academic setting . Work with YouthLaunch to hire teen parents to be speakers for Attorney Generals presentations on Fatherhood. 
• Sex Education Coordination for the district- includes support Why Wait Curriculum, Video, Panels

The program provides parenting education classes by a certified vocational home economics teacher. 

The Licensed Social Worker, Ashley Barrett and her team of Social Worker Interns are involved with students from the intake process through  graduation and the follow up program. 

The Child Development Center employees 12 full time staff members operating 4 classes.  The child development center is licensed to serve 60 children.

 The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Child Development Center is licensed center through the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

The SMCISD CDC center is TRS (Texas Rising Star- 4 Star Vendor), and TEEM participant working on site accreditation from the State Center (Texas School Ready).

 The center also serves as a cooperative education-training site for the high school vocational work programs and special education department training site.