Child care centers, already some of the most economically vulnerable businesses in Texas, provide an essential service to working families and critical early educaation for young children. Throughout the pandemic, permanent, temporary, and extended closures have left thousands of Texan families without access to reliable child care.
Before COVID-19, child care was in short supply and cost more than parents could afford in many communities across Texas, particularly for communities of color. The disruption in the supply of child care led to a dramatic increase in the number of child care deserts in Texas from March to August 2020. Using data collected from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) on extended closures, CHILDREN AT RISK conducted analysis to access the relationships between child care closures and factors such as provider quality, rates of educational attainment, median familiy income, and community demographics.
Help us support Early Educators & working families!
Check out our advocacy resources below to learn more about this issue and ask your state legislators to prioritize early childhood education this session, including addressing child care deserts!
Check Out our Early Education Legislative Agenda
Check out our legislative profiles to get a sense of what COVID-19 related child care closures looked like in your Texas House or Senate district below.
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