In Tarrant County the program belongs to Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, and scholarships are delivered through Child Care Management Services, operated by Child Care Associates. When we checked, the board estimated a 27-month wait and was working through applications submitted in April 2024.
Parker, Johnson, Wise and Hood counties fall under Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, the board that also covers Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Rockwall and Somervell. It calls the benefit Child Care Scholarships and listed a waitlist of up to 36 months.
These scholarships and TEFA cover different things. TEFA won't pay for before- or after-school care, and a scholarship can. For an eligible 3- or 4-year-old, TEFA pre-K can also take a family off the scholarship line, which is why local funders have pushed pre-K enrollment in TEFA.
Tarrant County providers in the program must be Texas Rising Star certified or working toward it, and a 3-star or higher rating is also one of the quality markers that lets a center join TEFA pre-K.
Combining it with other sources
Families rarely rely on one source alone. This one generally stacks with a school's own discounts and aid and with at least one other source on this site, and the funding check lays out the order that works for your child.