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Texas

Last Updated: November 7, 2024

Working families in Texas need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children. 

Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Texas. But too many working families in Texas are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Texas economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue. 

Facts about Texas
1

There are 2.3M children ages 5 and under in Texas – 60% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.

2

The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Texas is around $11,000.

3

The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 13% of eligible families in Texas. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)

4

On average, child care providers in Texas earn just $27,880 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.

5

Texas’ economy loses $11.4B annually due to child care challenges.

Texas: In The Headlines

Opinion: Why we should all celebrate Head Start’s success

North Dallas Gazette | November 6, 2024

The program can be a lifeline for children ages birth to five and their families, helping them thrive through education, health, and community support.

San Antonio’s Head Start tackles child care crisis

KSAT | September 10, 2024

The need for affordable child care continues to plague families across all income levels, but it’s especially difficult for those living under the federal poverty line.

MAP: Where are the child care deserts in Texas?

Dallas Morning News | oCTOBER 2, 2024

Advocates met in Fort Worth to confront a troubling reality: child care deserts in North Texas.

Texas Resources & News

Resource

The First Five Things to Know About: the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus

November 1, 2024

Addressing the child care needs of families across America is a critical element to strengthening our communities and our economy. For years, the House Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus …

Resource

2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets

July 16, 2024

FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …

Resource

2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets

May 29, 2024

First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …

News

The First Five Questions for Congressmen Joaquin Castro and Brian Fitzpatrick

March 5, 2024

This week, First Five Years Fund (FFYF) launched its new First Five Questions series which will bring interesting leaders, experts, and voices together to talk about child care challenges and …

Resource

New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements

February 22, 2024

Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …

Resource

Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022

February 8, 2024

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …

Resource

How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways

December 15, 2023

The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …

Resource

The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Joaquin Castro

November 15, 2023

As part of an ongoing series on the Bipartisan Child Care and PreK Caucus, First Five Years Fund is chatting with each of the co-chairs about their role as a …

Resource

FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

Resource

New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program 

May 11, 2023

New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …

Resource

How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State

May 9, 2023

The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …

Resource

FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets

August 2, 2022

Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …

Resource

Texas — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 29, 2022

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State

June 22, 2022

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …

Resource

2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding

August 3, 2021

FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …

Resource

Texas — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2021

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes

September 16, 2020

This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …

Resource

Texas: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2020

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States

September 16, 2019

On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state.  As in previous years, CAP’s …

Resource

See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care

June 14, 2019

Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …

Resource

Texas: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants

January 4, 2019

Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …

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