For Immediate Release
Contact: Peter Clark, pclark@txchildren.org
Austin – Early this morning, the Texas House approved a supplemental budget bill, HB 500, with $100 million for child care scholarships. The funding will allow the Texas Workforce Commission to serve additional families in its Child Care Services program.
“We’re thrilled that Texas leaders are taking this historic step to empower parents with more child care options,” said David Feigen, Director of Early Learning Policy at Texans Care for Children. “This investment in child care scholarships is wonderful news for Texas parents and children. More parents will be able to go to work, and more children will be in safe, high-quality child care during the critical early years of brain development. We appreciate Chairman Greg Bonnen, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Chairman Armando Walle, and other state leaders for making this commitment to Texas families.”
The most recent state data show 95,000 families on the waiting list for the program. Late last year, over 120 Texas groups urged the Legislature to provide additional funding for child care scholarships during this legislative session. Leaders in other states — such as Governor DeSantis in Florida and Governor Ivey in Alabama — have recently made similar investments in their child care assistance programs.
The supplemental budget bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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