The Quest for Equity & Quality |Research

Exposure to high-quality child care is the foundation for a child’s academic and social-emotional success, especially for children from low-income families. Increasing access to subsidized child care is one of the many strategies used to provide affordable early education to children from low-income families. However, increasing access alone is not enough when it comes to early learning. Children need to be in high-quality care to reap the many benefits.

In the report, The Quest for Equity and Quality, CHILDREN AT RISK examines the experiences of early childhood education providers with TRS through a race equity lens. The report highlights the experiences of providers of color to understand potential race equity barriers preventing providers of color from being certified with TRS. Specifically, CHILDREN AT RISK seeks to understand the motivating factors for providers who choose to participate in TRS and those who do not by asking the following questions:

• Why are Early Childhood Education providers choosing not to participate in TRS?
  • Why are providers of color not participating?
  • Why are White providers not participating?
• Why are Early Childhood Education providers choosing to participate in TRS?
  • Why are providers of color participating?
  • Why are White providers participating?

CHILDREN AT RISK in partnership with Prairie View A&M University and the University of Houston conducted a Racial Equity Workforce Survey and held focus groups on TRS participation and racial equity to gain insight on the current Texas landscape. While our research sought to uncover the implications race had on TRS participation, the conversations centered around equitable access to supports and resources providers needed to be successful. In the report, we offer recommendations and policy solutions to streamline TRS enrollment and participation and create a high-quality child care environment for Texas children. There is a need to have continued discussions that allow for deeper conversations about race as an underlying factor in providing equitable access to ECE in Texas.