Forum Pushes Child Care Access in Amarillo
Children At Risk brought Panhandle providers, advocates and families together to discuss child care access, quality and funding.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Child Care
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Should Texas increase state funding for child care for low-income families?
Children At Risk held a forum in Amarillo on child care access, quality and funding. Nine Panhandle ZIP codes have faced child care shortages for at least three years, and Texas lawmakers have placed $100 million for child care in the state budget for 2027.
Why it matters
Child care deserts in 22 Panhandle ZIP codes mean working parents often have three children for every available licensed seat, and care can consume 30% to 50% of a family's budget. The forum and state funding bring attention to how local shortages affect families in Amarillo and across the region.
Panhandle child care deserts include 22 ZIP codes with about three children of working parents for every licensed seat, compared with four children per seat for subsidized care. Most care costs $10,000 to $12,000 a year, and Texas has placed $100 million in the 2027 budget, though how it will be allocated has not been specified.
The players
Children At Risk
Children At Risk is a Texas-based child advocacy organization that works on policy and funding issues affecting children and families across the state.
The details
At the Amarillo forum, Children At Risk brought local providers, advocates and families together to discuss child care access, quality and funding. Nine Panhandle ZIP codes have faced shortages for at least three years, and the organization hopes to secure about $250 million in state funding.
Timeline
Nine Panhandle ZIP codes have faced child care shortages for at least three years.
Texas lawmakers have placed $100 million for child care in the 2027 state budget.
Lawmakers are expected to consider further child care funding in the next Texas legislative session.
Season Trajectory
The Panhandle child care desert classification places 22 ZIP codes in a documented shortage pattern that has persisted for at least three years in nine of them. The Amarillo forum and the $100 million in the 2027 state budget mark a push to address that gap through state funding.
Families in the Amarillo area and across the Panhandle should expect limited licensed child care seats in affected ZIP codes and plan for costs that can reach $10,000 to $12,000 a year. Parents may want to check waitlists early and ask providers about subsidized options.
The takeaway
Child care availability in the Panhandle depends on how state funding is allocated, so families affected by shortages can track the next legislative session for updates. Early planning and asking providers about subsidized seats can help offset costs.
What happens next
Lawmakers are expected to consider future child care funding in the next Texas legislative session.
Further reading
Explore more on Child Care for context on access and funding issues in Amarillo.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KVII.
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Should Texas increase state funding for child care for low-income families?
