State restores subsidies for some school-age children in Texas County

Oklahoma Human Services announced that, after receiving partial federal funding, child care subsidy access was restored for children ages six through eight beginning Jan. 12, a move that will directly affect families and providers in Texas County. The agency said the funding will help with "strengthening and stabilizing" Oklahoma's child care subsidy program and allow it to expand access "where funding permits."

The decision reverses part of a November action that removed a $5 per day add-on to subsidy rates for children ages six and older and paused new applications and renewals for school-age children. Those policies took effect Nov. 1 and were prompted by the end of temporary federal COVID-era funding, rising enrollment and fiscal uncertainty following a government shutdown. DHS has asked the state for $70 million to help stabilize the child care system and prevent future funding cliffs.

Despite the partial restoration, DHS said the pause on renewals and new applications will remain in place for children ages nine to 12, with exceptions for children who are unhoused, in foster care, placed for adoption or have disabilities. Families receiving emergency financial assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program are also now exempt; their children may be served up to age 13.

The Licensed Child Care Association of Oklahoma challenged the agency's earlier reductions in court. Oklahoma County District Judge Natalie Mai declined to issue a temporary restraining order in December, citing a lack of evidence to support the request. The association's attorney has said they will continue to pursue the matter.

Local providers said the partial reversal is welcome but incomplete. Katie Quebedeaux, an administrator at Faith Learning Center in Guymon, said she was thankful some school-age children regained access but remains concerned about older elementary students who remain excluded. "We just have a concern about the safety and the well-being of those children – if they're getting off of a bus, if they're going home every day to a safe location," Quebedeaux said. She estimated roughly 15 to 20 percent of her center's enrollment falls into the nine- to 12-year-old range.

For Texas County parents juggling jobs and school schedules, the change will mean immediate relief for some households but continued uncertainty for others. Providers that serve mixed-age groups will need to adjust rosters and billing, while families of children still paused must confirm whether they qualify under the listed exceptions.

What comes next will hinge on DHS's ability to secure further state funding and the outcome of legal challenges. Parents and providers should check directly with their child care centers and DHS for current eligibility rules and application status as agencies work to translate the partial funding into more stable long-term support.