Juliet Stipeche, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, addressed Harris County Commissioners Court on April 16, emphasizing that access to child care is a critical factor in workforce participation. She highlighted that limited child care options can prevent parents from entering or remaining in the workforce and underscored the need to better align child care systems with workforce development efforts.
Her remarks come as Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast plays a key role in a broader regional initiative to expand child care access and strengthen workforce participation. The Harris County Coalition on Early Childhood Education and Care, led by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia and Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, brings together partners from public, private, academic, and nonprofit sectors to address both affordability and availability of care.
Harris County is serving as a convener for the coalition, while Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast is positioned as a core implementation partner within the broader system.
Through funding from the Texas Workforce Commission, the Gulf Coast Workforce Development Board connects eligible families to child care scholarships, helping parents enter or remain in the workforce. The coalition’s work builds on that role by also supporting providers and improving coordination across child care and workforce systems.
Addressing the Supply Gap
While Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast helps connect families to available resources, demand continues to outpace supply. According to Community Impact, approximately 166,000 children under age five in Harris County qualify for subsidized prekindergarten, and an estimated 30,000 eligible children remain on waitlists for child care scholarships.
To help address this gap, Harris County leaders proposed a Business Accelerator Program for local child care providers. The program would support providers with business operations such as bookkeeping, insurance requirements, and regulatory navigation, barriers that can make it difficult to open or expand centers.
County officials said they are working with Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast and the University of Houston to develop the accelerator’s curriculum. The goal is to strengthen provider capacity and increase the supply of quality child care so more parents can participate in the workforce.
A Regional Effort with Statewide Impact
The coalition’s work extends beyond Harris County. Leaders are preparing for the 90th Texas Legislative Session in 2027 and coordinating with regional partners, including the Greater Houston Partnership, to align early childhood education with workforce and economic priorities.
The effort also aligns with broader statewide activity, including the Governor’s Task Force on Early Childhood Education and the Quad Agency Child Care Initiative, which aims to improve access and affordability across Texas.
Together, these efforts position the Gulf Coast region to play a leadership role in aligning early childhood systems with workforce and economic development strategies.
A Collective, Cross-Sector Approach
Commissioner Lesley Briones emphasized the urgency of addressing child care access from both an educational and economic perspective, noting that workforce participation and long-term economic competitiveness depend on early childhood opportunities.
She described the initiative as a broad ecosystem of stakeholders working together—including employers, workforce organizations, providers, education partners, and nonprofits—with the county serving as a convener to move solutions forward.
Removing Barriers to Employment
By connecting families to resources, supporting providers, and coordinating across sectors, Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast continues to play a key role at the intersection of child care access and workforce development.
Expanding access to child care, leaders say, will be essential to supporting working families, strengthening workforce participation, and sustaining regional economic growth.
