Parents of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds could receive over $10,000 annually to pay for tuition, textbooks and related costs at approved private providers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Fort Worth, the funds could go a long way, according to Child Care Associates, Tarrant County\u2019s largest early childhood provider.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Public school districts could benefit, too, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation.<\/p>\n
But with the rollout still in the hands of the Texas Comptroller\u2019s office<\/a>, providers are watching closely and waiting on key details \u2014 including how eligibility will be verified, how payments will work and whether the new funding can be used alongside existing child care assistance.<\/p>\n \u201cWe naturally are appreciative of the important inclusion of high-quality child care providers,\u201d said Catherine Davis, Child Care Associates\u2019 policy director. \u201cIt\u2019s a win-win-win (for families, for the programs and for sustainability).\u201d<\/p>\n Pre-K eligibility tied to existing state standards<\/p>\n Under the new law, students who are eligible for Texas public pre-K are also eligible to receive education savings account funds, including children from low-income households, military families, foster care and children learning English.\u00a0<\/p>\n The law does not create universal access for all preschool-aged children; eligibility remains tied to existing state criteria for pre-K programs.<\/p>\n That\u2019s intentional, said Jorge Borrego, K-12 education policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure not just the affluent but all Texans \u2014 including low-income families, students with disabilities and children of first responders \u2014 can access the setting that\u2019s best for their children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Borrego emphasized that many of those families fall into the law\u2019s highest-priority categories and would be among the first to receive education savings account funding.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Tarrant County, the average cost of infant care is nearly $9,000 per year, according to Child Care Associates \u2014 meaning a $10,000 education savings account could cover most or all of a family\u2019s annual tuition, depending on the provider.<\/p>\n Child Care Associates called the expansion a win for child care and for families, especially because early versions of the education savings account bill in 2023 left out community-based providers.<\/p>\n Now that they\u2019re included, providers must still meet new state requirements to participate, including accreditation, background checks and financial compliance.<\/p>\n Concerns emerge about religious instruction, oversight<\/p>\n Not everyone sees the expansion as a win.<\/p>\n Raise Your Hand Texas, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on public education, pointed to broader funding gaps across the state\u2019s public school system.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas is currently ranked 46th in the nation in per-pupil funding,\u201d the organization said in a statement. \u201cDuring the 89th legislative session, the state Legislature\u2019s down payment of $8.5 billion in school funding did not close the gap. Texas has the opportunity to fully fund our schools and do more for our public education students, not just those seeking an ESA.\u201d<\/p>\n The organization also urged lawmakers to strengthen public pre-K access.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can do more to expand public school pre-K eligibility, including expanding access for special education students,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n Still, Child Care Associates sees the law as a step forward, but not a finish line.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are still a lot of questions,\u201d Davis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Education savings account payments will be quarterly, but child care providers operate on much tighter budgets, according to the organization. Many rely on weekly payments from the Texas Workforce Commission, creating a planning challenge.<\/p>\n Davis also pointed to a bigger-picture opportunity: aligning Texas\u2019 various early education programs \u2014 education savings accounts, pre-K partnerships<\/a>, child care scholarships<\/a> and Head Start<\/a> \u2014 into a more unified system.<\/p>\n \u201cNow that enabling legislation has passed, Texas has a great opportunity to step back and simplify eligibility, funding and parent access,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n Districts, providers prepare for a 2026 launch<\/p>\n While most school choice discussions focus on private providers, Borrego noted that public school districts offering pre-K can also receive education savings account funding \u2014 even from students outside their boundaries.<\/p>\n Districts struggling with enrollment<\/a> or budgets<\/a> may be able to enroll education savings account students and benefit from that funding, Borrego said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity they may want to take up as soon as possible,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Still, the program\u2019s first year is capped at $1 billion in spending and 100,000 total participants statewide, which Borrego said likely won\u2019t meet the full demand from families.<\/p>\n The law takes effect Sept. 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n The comptroller\u2019s office must adopt rules by May 2026 to prepare for the 2026-27 school year. Until then, providers said they\u2019ll prepare by educating families and monitoring the rulemaking process.<\/p>\n \u201cSuccess looks like eligible families finding the setting that works for them,\u201d Borrego said. \u201cThey are situated where they can grow, where they can gel with a community and where they can thrive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Child Care Associates agrees, Davis said, but cautioned that the state must do more than pass a bill.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas has made important advances this session,\u201d Davis said. \u201cBut the real work is still ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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