The Evaluation of Early REACH (Raising Educational Access for Children in Harris County) Contracted Slots Program

In June 2022, Harris County allocated $48 million in ARPA funds for Early Reach, the nation's largest investment in early childhood education. The Early REACH program (Raising Educational Access for Children in Harris County) aims to expand high-quality childcare access, create 1,000 slots, support childcare centers financially, enforce a $15 hourly wage, and aid mothers returning to work. The CEGO research affiliates, Dr. Willa Friedman, Dr. Elaine Liu and Dr. Fan Wang, plan to evaluate the impact on the Center, Family, & Market and Cost Effectiveness of the program.