Senate District 18 — Lois Kolkhorst

Executive narrative

Working-parent children per current authorized slot is near the chamber median (1.45 vs 1.51). Share of children under six outside the working-parent denominator is near the chamber median (17.8% vs 20.8%). HHSC nighttime-window authorized-capacity share is near the chamber median (3.6% vs 3.2%). Workers leaving home before 6 a.m. (ACS B08302) is near the chamber median (16.0% vs 15.2%). Resident-worker outbound share (LODES) is near the chamber median (89.0% vs 91.3%).

Childcare demand and supply

- Children under 6 (ZIP-area-weighted estimate): 74,133
- Working-parent children under 6: 60,922
- Current qualifying authorized capacity: 41,968
- Working-parent children per current slot: 1.45
- Children outside the working-parent denominator: 17.8%

Nighttime / nontraditional-hours context

- HHSC nighttime-window operations (ZIP-area-weighted estimate): 20
- HHSC nighttime-window capacity share: 3.6%
- Workers leaving home before 5 a.m. (ACS B08302): 5.8%
- Workers leaving home before 6 a.m. (ACS B08302): 16.0%

Workforce geography

- Resident primary jobs (LODES): 414,634
- Workplace primary jobs (LODES): 232,454
- Jobs-to-resident-worker ratio (LODES): 0.56
- Resident-worker outbound share (LODES): 89.0%

Methodology

Texas/TWC-compatible childcare desert measures and the HHSC 9 p.m.-6 a.m. nighttime-care window remain the governing Texas standards. ACS B08302 and LODES are supplemental context only.

District values are ZIP-boundary-area-weighted legislative estimates. The ZIP-level matrix remains the direct geographic evidence layer. Authorized capacity is not the same thing as vacancies or currently available seats.