Fort Bend ISD employees with young children or grandchildren have a new financial benefit: tuition assistance for the district's own childcare center in Missouri City.

The district announced the Employee Childcare Tuition Assistance Program on Tuesday, Oct. 6, for staff whose children or grandchildren attend the Reese Early Education Lab. The licensed center opened July 29 as a pilot and serves children ages 2 and 3. Only families of current FBISD employees are eligible.

The district has not publicly detailed how much the assistance covers. Without the aid, tuition runs $900 per month without meals or $1,150 per month with meals included. A $100 nonrefundable registration fee applies, and families with more than one child enrolled receive a 10% sibling discount.

The center holds up to 33 children at an 11-to-1 child-to-adult ratio. It operates Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the school year, which runs through May 28, 2027. A summer session follows from June 1 through July 22, 2027, with hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Employee childcare is one of seven programs Fort Bend ISD launched for the 2026-27 school year under its Redesign initiative, Community Impact reported. The effort also includes high school virtual learning, dual-language and Mandarin immersion programs, and limited open enrollment.

The push comes as the district works to stabilize after years of enrollment decline. Fort Bend ISD's enrollment peaked at about 80,000 four years ago and sat near 75,000 as of an Oct. 5 ABC13 report. Superintendent Marc Smith told the board at a July 20 agenda review meeting that the district is taking a strategic approach to its future, Community Impact reported.

To register, FBISD employees use their district email to create an account at EZChildTrack. Grandchildren of employees must be registered by a parent or guardian using a personal email, with proof of registration sent to the lab. Required documents include a birth certificate, current immunization records, a physician's statement of health and a food allergy emergency plan if applicable.

Enrollment details are available on the district's Reese Early Education Lab page.