Building Futures: Harris County’s Historic Investment in Early Childhood 

On August 28, 2024, Greater Houston Community Foundation hosted a program in partnership with The Brown Foundation and The Powell Foundation to deepen learning and understanding of Harris County’s Early Childhood Initiatives (ECI). The event brought together local funders and philanthropists to not only learn about the impressive progress made to invest in programming and supports for our youngest neighbors, but to inspire both personal and professional commitments to continuing the work beyond these initial investments.   

The event started with opening remarks from Makia Akinola Thomas, Program Officer at The Powell Foundation, who spoke about the complexities of Early Childhood as an issue area. She then introduced two nationally recognized speakers, Santrice Jones, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives for Harris County, and Don Titcombe, Associate Director of Early Childhood Initiatives for Harris County to share more about the portfolio of services being offered and the impact they are already making in the community. 

How did Harris County obtain $150 million for Early Childhood?  

In 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was passed by Congress to provide additional relief to address the impacts of COVID-19. These funds are allocated by the jurisdiction receiving the funds, who are more aware of how funds can best serve local communities. Harris County received almost $1 billion in ARPA funding. Then, the Harris County Commissioners Court set out clear priorities, with Early Childhood receiving $150 million, the most significant investment out of the five main priorities that the Harris County Commissioners Court identified. Click here to learn more about the framework to guide priority selection, design, implementation, and evaluation. 

This groundbreaking investment of $150 million into Early Childhood education is not just a financial milestone; it’s a cause for celebration and a moment of pride for our community. While we celebrate this remarkable commitment, Jones highlighted the essential contributions of nonprofits and philanthropic organizations, both now and for the future. Their support is indispensable in shaping and sustaining impactful programs that directly benefit our children and families.  

This investment opens the door for meaningful dialogue about what Early Childhood education can and should look like in Harris County. It’s an invitation for all of us—educators, parents, community leaders, and advocates—to come together and envision a future where our youngest learners can thrive. 

Jones then passed the program over to Titcombe, who shared the importance of investing in early childhood and how ECI has committed the $150 million to be spent by the end of 2026.  

Why invest in early childhood?  

Titcombe shared that the four main reasons to invest in early childhood are because children with high-quality early care and education have: 

1. Fewer achievement gaps  

2. Fewer incidences of harmful behaviors later in life (smoking, mental health, etc.) 

3. Boosted long-term earning potential by 10-25% 

4. A solid foundation for success in life, as 90% of brain development occurs before age 8 

What is the landscape of early childhood in Harris County?  

Locally, here are some facts about the child care sector that Titcombe shared: 

• The median yearly price of child care is up 18% since 2018. 

• Since 2020, there has been a 21% decrease in the number of child care centers open. 

• There are 17,000 families on the local waiting list for child care assistance. 

• The state child care workforce is still at 99% of pre-COVID employment levels. 

• 89% of licensed child care centers in Harris County are in the 75^th percentile of FEMA’s National Climate Risk Index. 52 child care centers permanently closed after Hurricane Harvey in Harris County. 

How has ECI committed the $150 million to be spent by the end of 2026?

ECI’s portfolio of investments to strengthen and increase access to high-quality child care in Harris County include: 

• Early Reach: 800-1000 new, free high-quality spaces 

• Shine: $17 million in facilities improvements 

• ACCTS: 500 credentialed child care teachers 

• Home Based Child Care: Establishing 60 new home-based operations 

• Early Learning Quality Networks: Investing $5 million locally in quality 

• Centers of Excellence: Investing directly into quality child care centers 

• Child care assistance analysis: Recommendations for improving childcare systems 

Titcombe showcased data on how early experiences have lasting impacts and how changing trajectories is increasingly more difficult—and expensive—as we move through the life span. This data helped demonstrate why investments in ECI are less expensive and more efficient over the long run. Harris County’s ECI portfolio also strive for equity in its programming. Titcombe shared several factors of why some children need more support, which included:  

• The impact of growing up in poverty has a negative impact on early childhood development.  

• Children exposed to violence are at severe risk for mental health and developmental issues. 

• The number of CPS workers has decreased, while the number of children receiving DFPS services has increased.  

• Statewide, only 24% of children referred to Early Childhood Intervention receive services. 

Targeted Investments for Underserved Populations  

ECI’s commitment to equity drives its efforts to address the unique challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Recognizing that true progress cannot be achieved without inclusive strategies that prioritize historically marginalized groups, Titcombe shared that ECI strategically invests in essential resources and services to empower these communities. Investments include:  

• Harris County Early Childhood Resiliency Fund: Serve 500 children exposed to violence. 

• Safe Babies: Serve 100 children involved with the foster care system. 

• Harris County Helping Hands: Enroll 1,000 families in safety-net benefits programs 

• Kids Meals: Provide 20,000 meals daily to preschool-age children 

• upWORDS: Reaching 1000 families of young children with cutting-edge brain science 

• Rupani Foundation: Provide wrap-around support to 800 families with young children 

• Inspire Harris County: Provide 500 families with access to assistive technology and other services 

• RISE: Expand and enhance Early Child Intervention services. 

Advancing Harris County’s Early Childhood Initiatives 

Titcombe passed the discussion back to Jones, who welcomed questions and prompted the audience to reflect on the key areas for sustained focus in early childhood with the question, “Where do you see the most important area of sustained focus (in early childhood)?”  

Here are the results, with number one being the highest-ranked area:  

1. Child care access and quality 

2. Access to high-quality pre-k 

3. Vulnerable populations (poverty, disabilities, trauma) 

4. Early childhood workforce training and development 

5. Parent education and training 

6. Data collection and reporting 

Then, the audience broke down into groups based on what they ranked as the most critical area of sustained focus for early childhood. Each group was given a discussion guide to complete and to help facilitate guided conversation. With the remaining time, several groups shared key takeaways from their conversations, and each discussion guide was collected for ECI to learn from. 

Inspiring Collective Action for Lasting Early Childhood Development 

Diana Zarzuelo, Vice President of Community Impact at Greater Houston Community Foundation, shared some parting remarks, encouraging everyone in the room to reflect on what they have done to advocate for early childhood development and to think deeply about how each of us will play a role within our sphere of influence to sustain the work that has been started. 

This convening was a powerful reminder that every effort counts, and together, we can create a lasting impact on the lives of children and families in our community now and in the future. If you’re inspired to get involved or want to learn more about these vital initiatives, we invite you to reach out to us. Let’s keep the conversation going and ensure that our actions today lead to a brighter future for tomorrow! 

More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation: 

• The Surprising Benefits of Philanthropy on Your Well-being 

• The Business of Good: Taking Corporate Giving to the Next Level 

• What Are Qualified Charitable Distributions? 

• What to Do with an Inheritance

• How to Start a Corporate Philanthropy Program

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