Where is child care needed in Dallas-Fort Worth? These neighborhoods have biggest gaps

An updated child care desert map shows Dallas-Forth Worth has the second-highest number of ZIP codes among the state’s major regions lacking child care programs that are accessible to low-income families. The new data underscores the prolonged obstacles families face with finding affordable child care, and early childhood advocates want policymakers to take notice.

Dallas-Fort Worth has 96 ZIP codes — following Houston and the Gulf Coast region’s 128 ZIP codes — considered to be child care subsidy deserts, according to Children at Risk, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization focused on addressing child poverty and inequality. A child care subsidy desert is a ZIP code where the demand for subsidized child care for newborns to 5-year-olds is at least three times greater than what’s available. Related statistics and Children at Risk’s updated child care desert map were discussed on Thursday as advocates spoke on the state of the industry during a virtual press conference.

“Without an investment from the 89th Texas Legislature this coming year, working families will continue to struggle to find child care, not only affecting their family budget, but their ability to join the workforce and strengthen our Texas economy,” said Kim Kofron, senior director of education for Children at Risk.

The statewide map contains data from child care programs spanning from October 2022 to September 2023 and can be filtered by county, school district, ZIP code and more. There are 333 Texas ZIP codes considered to be child care deserts in general, but this number almost doubles for low-income families that earn below 200% of the federal poverty line, with 650 ZIP codes categorized as deserts. Almost 100,000 working families are on a waiting list for subsidies, according to Children at Risk.

In Tarrant County, eight ZIP codes are considered to be child care deserts, including the Northside and Diamond-Hill Jarvis neighborhoods and between Bedford and Hurst. There are 97.5 seats for 100 children of working parents but only 18.3 seats with subsidies per 100 children of working parents countywide. There are 51 ZIP codes categorized as subsidy deserts. Additionally, the availability of quality child care is even more scarce for low-income families with 10.1 seats per 100 children available in programs participating in Texas Rising Star, the state’s quality improvement program for the early childhood programs.

Melanie Rubin, of the North Texas Early Learning Alliance, said on Thursday that although child care woes are not new, engagement from parents and employers is reaching new levels.

“It’s just really bubbling up. We’re hearing often and we’re hearing loudly, just how difficult it is to find child care. Both public and private employers are calling in saying, ‘What can we do for our staff? We’re not able to find employees and certainly cannot keep them because of child care,’” Rubin said.

Child care is expected to have a brighter spotlight during the 2025 legislative session. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called on the Senate’s Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee to study ways to increase workforce productivity through child care access. More than 50 private businesses including restaurants, hotels, insurance companies and financial institutions across the state have formed The Employers for Childcare Task Force, which is advocating for policy reform through an economic lens; Texas is estimated to be losing about $9.4 billion annually because parents have to leave the workforce to care for their children, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Additionally, a recent policy brief published by the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ Urban Lab states, “child care is poised to become one of the paramount policy issues” in the upcoming session that starts in January.

Texas voters weighed in on child care policy in November after approving Proposition 2, allowing local governments to offer a property tax exemption to qualifying child care facilities. It passed with almost 65% of voters in favor of the financial relief. The Fort Worth City Council approved a local ordinance last week that gives a 100% exemption to certain programs starting this year. Fort Worth is among cities such as Dallas, Denton and Austin to use Proposition 2.

Kofron, of Children at Risk, listed multiple ways where the state can play a part in mending child care gaps such as increasing reimbursement rates for providers who accept subsidies for low-income families, which would cover the true cost of care for a child.

“When Texas has an ample supply of child care settings for all families… Texas will not only have a strong economy today but will also be building the economy and the workforce for tomorrow,” Kofron said.