Fort Bend ISD employees with young children gained a new workplace benefit Friday, Aug. 14, when the district's Early Education Lab at the James Reese Career & Technical Center opened as a licensed childcare facility.
The pilot program serves children ages 24 to 47 months and is available exclusively to FBISD staff. The district said it created the center to support staff recruitment, retention and work-life balance, according to a June 25 announcement on X.
Fort Bend ISD confirmed the state Child Care Center license on Aug. 13, one day before the lab's first day of operations. The opening came three days into the 2026-27 school year, which began Tuesday, Aug. 11.
A retention tool amid budget pressure
The childcare center arrives as FBISD navigates a $32.8 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2026-27. The board of trustees voted unanimously June 15 to approve that budget. Executive Director of Finance Kelly Schlacks presented a spending plan with $857.9 million in revenue against $898 million in expenditures, according to Community Impact.
The budget also funds a compensation plan with differentiated teacher steps, a state-funded Teacher Retention Allotment, a Staff Retention Allotment and a second-year supplement ranging from $500 to $2,000 for employees who don't qualify for either allotment. The Early Education Lab adds a non-salary benefit to that retention package.
The district is also contending with enrollment pressure from the new Texas Education Freedom Account voucher program. FBISD expects to lose between 700 and 1,100 students after 8,429 applied for TEFA, according to Community Impact reporting.
Key details still unclear
The lab was originally announced in late June with a projected July 2026 opening. The district has not explained the roughly six-week delay.
Capacity, cost to employees and whether enrollment remains open have not been publicly disclosed. The age eligibility cutoff listed in June — children 24 to 47 months as of July 29 — has not been updated for the Aug. 14 start.
As we reported Aug. 6, FBISD pre-K spots were still available ahead of the first day of school. The Early Education Lab serves a younger age group and a different population — employees rather than the general public.
FBISD families seeking details can contact the Early Childhood Department at (281) 634-1705 or [email protected].
