Early Ed Canary

The recent TX Senate hearing on child care shone light on the critical necessity of child care for businesses & the workforce. The Prime Pilot grant model was highlighted as a key strategy for helping employers increase options for working parents who lack access to care. #Txlege

We’re thrilled to see @startelegram's coverage of the Child Care Innovation Pilot Program, a North Texas and statewide initiative championed by lawmakers that would expand access to affordable child care and uplift the workforce.

The TX child care shortage is affecting families, educational outcomes, & the wider economy. #TXLege can relieve this burden by funding scholarships & replicating innovative local programs statewide. Featured: Kara Waddell, @ChildCareAssoc | David Feigen, @putkids1st

Heading into the #txlege session, the Capitol’s interest in solving TX child care challenges feels stronger than ever. We applaud policymakers who have recognized PK Partnerships need to change & that #childcare is unequivocally part of workforce development.

📢 DFW Child Care Providers! Participate in the DFW Child Care Workforce Study to shape the future of early education. ✅ Data on educators, credentials, pay, & more will guide planning for a thriving workforce. ⏳ Deadline: Jan 6, 2025! Don’t miss out—complete the survey today!

The TX Senate made recs for improving #childcare, citing the need for solutions to make Pre-K Partnerships work better. Regional Early Learning Hubs have filled this gap in Fort Worth & Austin bit.ly/4iDnMOX States like FL, MS, NC have already implemented them. #txlege

Tarrant County’s Prime Pilot was highlighted at the TX House #IRED hearing on the state of #childcare. Testimony was clear: families and businesses need cost-efficient solutions. Supply-building grants can stabilize & expand high-demand seats in high-need areas! #txlege

The Public Education Committee heard testimony from @ChildCareAssoc CEO Kara Waddell. There was interest in expanding mixed-delivery pre-k as a solution to low PK enrollment, supporting families who need full day #childcare & balancing the costs of infant/toddler care. #txlege

We love this explanation of foundational grants and contracts!

Interesting argument from @kbstevens at the Senate Finance hearing on 7/9: Can cash-flush states blame their unfunded #childcare systems on a federal gov that’s already trillions in debt? Maybe it’s time for Texas to put some more skin in the game! #txlege hubs.la/Q02HYRqt0

TX #NRED Committee seeks to improve #childcare “within existing resources.” Some realms of possibility: fix the allocation methodology for CCDF subsidies to fit regional demand; use leftover PK $ by meeting eligible kids in child care classrooms; transfer TANF funding to CCDF.

TX ranked in the last 10 states for its inefficient #ECE system. Why? The system is spread across multiple agencies, resulting in resource duplication & difficulty blending many funding sources. For being the world’s 8th largest economy, we don’t have much to show for it. #txlege

TX #NRED Committee will discuss increasing workforce productivity via #childcare access on 9/17! How can we improve child care access to meet our workforce needs?? By lifting up & incentivizing existing providers to maximize & align their services to regional demand! #txlege

Did you know only 15% of PK eligible 3-year-olds are attending public PK? It’s clear parents need a variety of options when enrolling their children in PK. By improving our mixed-delivery system, TX can meet more families where they are—often in community-based #childcare.

TX #PubEd Committee will be discussing ways to improve prek-3 outcomes on 8/13. We know meeting more eligible families with HQPK options where they are is critical, which includes the ability to access it in full-day, full-year #childcare. #txlege

The heads of TWC, TEA, & the City of Fort Worth acknowledged the need for widespread #ECE systems change at the Momentum Early Learning Summit. Read our key takeaways from this conversation, which revealed important priorities for bolstering the sector: hubs.la/Q02Dztnc0

Momentum Early Learning Summit Recap: Read our take on the 2030 #ECE Vision Statements-- developed & agreed upon by a diverse set of systems leaders from across TX-- and what policy steps could be taken next: earlyedcanary.org/responding-to-…

Texas sorely lacks a high-qualified early educator workforce, but efforts to increase the amount of degree-holding early educators begs the question: how can we expect anyone to pursue an #ECE degree if the career projections are abysmal?