The early childhood sector remains in crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which exacerbated long standing issues faced by the field prior to the pandemic. Working families in Texas need access to high-quality, affordable child care and early learning professionals need access to professional wages that allow them to remain in the field. Investing in early learning is a win for young children, working families, and our entire economy. TXAEYC and our nearly 3,000 members look forward to working with the 88th Texas Legislature to prioritize early learning this session.

Early Childhood Field Remains in Crisis

Recommended Solutions for the 88th Texas Legislature

With a $33 billion surplus and additional projected revenue throughout the next budget cycle, Texas has the resources necessary to ensure working families have access to high-quality early learning for their children. We believe investing in our early childhood system should be a priority of the Texas legislature as they seek to strengthen our economy and maintain our status as a business friendly state.

TXAEYC will work with the 88th Legislature to prioritize the following solutions for strengthening early learning in Texas:

Investing in our Early Childhood System = Investing in Working Families

• Provide foundational funding to all licensed child care centers and licensed or registered family child care homes to support fixed operational costs and sustain high levels of quality.
• Reimburse child care programs serving children on child care scholarships based on the true cost of care rather than the market rate survey.
• Fund full day prekindergarten at a full ADA allotment.

Supporting the Engine of our State's Economy = Early Childhood Educators

• Use state funds to increase compensation of the early childhood workforce and ensure pay parity among early childhood educators working across program settings with similar qualifications.
• Establish efficient pathways to a bachelor’s degree by requiring community colleges to award credit for a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and increasing transferability of associate degrees.
• Enact recommendations from the HB619 Child Care Workforce Strategic Plan.

Strengthening Families' Options and Protecting Affordability

• Reduce administrative burdens associated with establishing prekindergarten partnerships.
• Extend state level supports for establishing prekindergarten partnerships.
• Streamline eligibility for child care scholarships and public prekindergarten.