When Erika Estrada set out to open her own preschool, she wanted to create a place that offered quality childcare families could afford without shortchanging the people providing it.
“Affordable tuition, well-paid staff and low ratios,” Estrada said.
She opened Bella Gardens in East Dallas earlier this year.
Estrada intentionally keeps tuition below what many Dallas centers charge and provides scholarships to families who need additional help. But she still hasn’t been able to pay her teachers what she considers a living wage.
“I want all my providers to get paid $26 an hour,” Estrada said. “That’s what we’re working towards.”
Studies show the average childcare worker in Texas makes less than $15 an hour. Estrada pays her teachers $19.
Now, Dallas County is helping her support one of those employees in another way — by helping pay for her childcare.
One of Estrada’s part-time employees plans to enroll her son at Bella Gardens next month. Estrada will put forward $150 toward the $1,000 monthly tuition, which will be matched by Dallas County’s Tri-Share program.
Together, those contributions provide at least $300 a month toward the cost of the child’s care.
That’s the idea behind Tri-Share: employers, families and public dollars share the cost of childcare.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the county created the program because childcare costs are squeezing family budgets.
“I don't doubt that if we were to take a survey of parents with young children, overwhelmingly those parents would say childcare is too expensive and it's hurting my family's budget,” Jenkins said. “And it's forcing me to make tough choices.”
Dallas County launched the Tri-Share pilot in March 2025 in partnership with Tootris, a child care platform. The county committed $1 million from its Economic Development Project Initiative.
But more than a year later, only two businesses are participating, with two more waiting to enroll. So far, the county has spent $139,170.
“Businesses look at that, especially the larger they get, the harder it is for them to make that jump,” Jenkins said. “They look at it and they say, ‘Well, this is a cost that’s going to become an expectation.’ And so a lot of them don’t want to do that.”
Dallas County’s program is the first of its kind in Texas. Similar employer match childcare programs exist in other states, including Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio.
Estrada said some employers may be reluctant because they worry about offering a childcare benefit they can't guarantee indefinitely. But she doesn't think families expect the help to last forever.
“I don't think I know any parent who would turn it down even if it was temporary,” Estrada said. “Plus, their child will probably age out anyways and go to free pre-K3 and pre-K4.”
Estrada understands the hesitation from employers. Bella Gardens is small and still trying to establish itself financially.
She paid a discounted $600 fee to participate in Tri-Share, and the onboarding process took several months. By the time she was approved, her own son had only one month left at the center. Tri-Share contributed $150 toward his care.
Still, Estrada considers the cost an investment, particularly if it helps her employees stay at work.
Estrada plans to provide additional scholarship assistance to help her employee cover the remaining cost of her son's care. She said every dollar the county contributes makes that easier.
“For employers, it's going to take sacrifice,” Estrada said. “But in the end, it's going to pay off if our employees can be here without having to worry about consistent childcare.”
Sujata Dand is KERA’s early childhood education reporter. Got a tip? Email her at sdand@kera.org.
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