Texas Is Overrun with Childcare Deserts

By Aswad WalkerOriginally appeared in Word in Black Texas, we have a problem.Not only are there far too many food deserts and digital/technology deserts dogging communities of color, but Black and Brown neighborhoods are also ravaged by childcare deserts.High-quality early childhood education is essential not only for the future academic achievements of children, particularly those from low-income families, but for the overall Texas economy. However, childcare remains out of reach for many.Children at Risk (C@R) recently released data that shows 333 zip codes in the state are classified as childcare deserts, with 650 deserts for low-income working families.“While for the first time in history, Texas is serving more children in Texas Rising Star (TRS) programs than non-TRS programs, only one in five low-income eligible working families have access to subsidized child care,” read a C@R statement. “The number of childcare centers has returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, the number of family childcare homes has decreased by nearly 32% since March 2020.”Almost 100,000 working parents are on the waiting list for childcare scholarships. In other words, help is needed, and quickly.“Without investment from the 89th Texas State Legislature, working families will continue to struggle to find childcare, affecting not only their...