Harris County officials, including County Judge Lina Hidalgo, launched the Early Reach Education Access for Children in Harris County program during a June 12 press conference at the YMCA Children's Academy.
This program aims to provide free, high-quality child care for families in high-need areas, addressing the challenges faced by both children and child care providers in the county.
The launch of this program represents the culmination of years of work and a top priority, Hidalgo said.
“This has been many, many years of work,” Hidalgo said at the press conference. “It was one of the very first issues that came to our attention when I first came into office in 2019.”
Hidalgo said research indicates there are significant gaps in high-quality child care options, leading to what were termed “child care deserts” in many parts of the county.
To address this issue, the program was developed in partnership with child care centers. The program aims to increase both the quantity and quality of child care by providing resources to selected high-quality child care centers. Around 20 child care centers have already been recruited, including Tiny Toes Academy and Head Start.
The American Rescue Plan Act funded $26 million to the program, which represents the largest known investment of ARPA dollars by any county or city in the nation for early childhood education, Hidalgo said.
Eligible child care centers meeting specific criteria, including those in child care deserts with high social need and the ability to accommodate more children age 4 and younger, can participate. Selected centers receive funding for operating expenses, staff wages, recruitment and programs. The program also guarantees a minimum wage of $15 per hour for child care providers.
Hidalgo said research has consistently shown high-quality early childhood programs lead to better educational outcomes, higher rates of employment and reduced involvement in the criminal justice system.
“Economically, research consistently shows that early childhood programs have one of the strongest returns on investment for any type of public program,” Hidalgo said. “Every dollar spent on high-quality birth-to[-age]-5 programs for disadvantaged children delivers a 13% annual return on investment.”
The Early Raising Education Access for Children in Harris County program is set to create up to 1,000 more child care slots across the county by June 2024, Hidalgo said.
Families in Harris County with children age 4 and younger can apply for the program if they meet certain criteria, including demonstrating financial need. The application process is open and available through the program's website as well as via phone. Families will receive notification of their eligibility within two weeks of applying and will be paired with an eligibility specialist to help them find the best child care center for their needs.
“The big message today is to apply. It is a first-come, first-served system,” Hidalgo said. “Based on the number of interested folks, we will also decide which centers to bring on board based on the parts of town seeing more demand.”
