HOUSTON – At 4 a.m. on Friday, more than three hours before the school even opened, parents were camped out at Paul Horn Elementary School to register their children for the school's pre-kindergarten program.
"That's crazy," said Vee Tripathi, a parent. "I thought I was early. Apparently not. I'm late."
The school opened at 7:30 a.m. so parents could register. Some parents said they had been waiting since 2 p.m. Thursday.
"I wasn't expecting this," Tripathi said. "I knew it would be a long line, but I didn't think people would be camping out since yesterday afternoon."
Parents in the front of the line were tucked in for a long wait. They had tents set up, sleeping bags laid out and lots of blankets. They said it was all worth it.
"I think Horn Academy has a really good pre-k program," said Neda Khan, another parent hoping to register. "It's really hard to get into a pre-k program. So we camped out here just to get a spot."
"We think getting our daughter into a good school is a very important thing that will be a foundation for her career," Chaneresh Thakker said.
Some parents said they plan to register their children next year if they miss the opportunity to register Friday.
Only 40 students will be accepted into the school.