Child Care Services (TWC Scholarships)
Last updated August 2026
Texas Child Care Services pays most of the cost of child care for working families, through TWC and 28 local Workforce Solutions boards. The income limits surprise people. A family of two can earn $62,588 a year. Three, $77,315. Four, $92,041. Those hold through September 2026.
Your share is capped at 7 percent of your income, no matter how many kids are in care. The most a family of two pays is $365 a month; a family of four, $537. Most families pay less on the sliding scale.
The work rule: a single parent must average 25 hours a week of work, job search, school, or training. A two-parent family needs 50 hours combined. Kids are covered from birth through 12, or through 18 with a disability.
Apply through Parent Central at childcare.texas.gov. Make an account, fill out the screener and waitlist form, and a caseworker at your local board takes it from there. The dollar rules are the same statewide. The waitlists are not; each board runs its own, and only your local office can say where you stand.
Care must happen at a provider in the network. All of them take part in Texas Rising Star, the state's quality ratings. More stars means standards above the licensing floor, so when you have a choice, the stars mean something real.
Phone 1-800-628-5115
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Low-income families; eligibility, copays, and application steps are at childcare.texas.gov
- Your local Workforce Solutions office handles enrollment; find it via the office locator
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Create an account at Parent Central (childcare.texas.gov) and submit the eligibility screener and waitlist application.
- 2
Show the hours: 25 a week for a single parent, 50 combined for two, from work, job search, school, or training.
- 3
Send the documents your local board's caseworker requests.
- 4
Ask your local Workforce Solutions office where you sit on the waitlist; funding differs by board.
- 5
When approved, pick a provider from the network, and use the Texas Rising Star ratings to compare quality.
- 6
Report income and work changes to the board so your copay stays right.
What the application looks like
Common questions
What is the income limit for Texas child care help?
85 percent of state median income: $62,588 a year for a family of two, $77,315 for three, $92,041 for four, through September 2026. New charts come each fall.
How much will I pay?
A sliding-scale share capped at 7 percent of your household income regardless of how many children are in care. Monthly maximums run $365 to $537 for families of two to four; most pay less.
Do I have to be working to qualify?
Working, looking for work, or in school or training: 25 hours a week average for a single parent, 50 combined for two parents.
How long is the waitlist?
It depends entirely on your local Workforce Solutions board; funding and lists are local even though income rules are statewide. Only your board can say where you stand, so apply and then ask.
What ages are covered?
Birth through age 12, extended through 18 for children with disabilities.
What is Texas Rising Star?
The state's child care quality rating system. Every provider in the scholarship network participates, from Entry Level up to Four-Star, and higher stars mean standards above licensing minimums.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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