Who qualifies
A child at least 3 years old who meets one state criterion: free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, limited English, homelessness, foster care, an active-duty military parent, a parent injured or killed on active duty, a Star of Texas parent, or a parent who teaches in a Texas public school.
Why it matters here
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County estimated a 27-month wait for child care scholarships when we checked. For an eligible 4-year-old, a TEFA pre-K award can fund a seat long before the scholarship comes through.
Local help with applying
The Fort Worth-based Rainwater Charitable Foundation funded Child Care Associates to help Tarrant County families apply for TEFA pre-K and to help providers become approved, with goals of 1,000 pre-K applications and 400 registered providers.
Where the providers are
About half of the approved centers are in Fort Worth and Arlington, with smaller clusters in North Richland Hills, Mansfield and Keller. Our pre-K directory groups them by community.
Becoming a provider
A center needs a child care license in good standing plus Texas Rising Star at 3 stars or more, Texas School Ready, a district pre-K partnership or recognized accreditation.
After-care
TEFA doesn't pay for care before or after school. A child care scholarship can, once your name comes up on the list.
Next step
Start the two-minute funding check. An advisor will go over each source your family can use, from TEFA to Catholic and school aid, and the deadlines that go with them.