History

Our History

We’ve been serving North Texas
for over 50 years.

1968

On September 10, the Day Care Association of Fort Worth and Tarrant County is chartered by the State of Texas as a private, non-profit company to provide child care services for Fort Worth and Tarrant County families. With funding from United Way, the organization begins with two child care centers, 30 employees, and an enrollment of 130 children aged 3–5. By the end of 1969, it has expanded to serve 339 children at nine centers, as well as 32 infants through a Day Home Program.​

1970

The organization begins operating a full-year, full-day Head Start program. It also adds two new centers serving 140 additional children. By the end of 1974, the Head Start contract is expanded to serve a total of 304 children at five centers.

1980

With diversified funding through grants from the City of Fort Worth, the City of Arlington and United Way allocations, the organization opens five more centers, increases teacher salaries, and improves programs, including enhanced services for children with disabilities.

1990

The Head Start program expands to 15 centers while continuing to operate child care centers for children who don’t qualify for Head Start. After a year-long DHS pilot program establishing an open market system of subsidized child care, the organization is selected as the local contractor to implement the newly created Child Care Management Service (CCMS). CCMS enables eligible working parents to select from a network of commercial providers and non-profit centers for their children’s care.

1993-95

The Day Care Association of Fort Worth receives a Head Start expansion grant that provides funding for 10 new centers to serve 640 more children. By the end of 1995, the organization is providing services for more than 15,000 children and families annually through Head Start, child care, and CCMS. Expansion of both Head Start and CCMS programs continues through the following years.

1998

The organization establishes an Early Head Start program for infants and toddlers, and begins to collaborate with school districts to provide Head Start services on elementary school campuses.

2001

In recognition of our expanded service area, the board of directors changes the name to Child Care Associates (CCA). CCA initiates a major advancement in its collaboration with Tarrant County school districts to provide full-day services by combining Pre-Kindergarten and Head Start programs and resources.

2005

Results of achievement tests by an external evaluator reveal that children in CCA’s programs are making tremendous gains in achieving the academic skills needed when entering school.

2017

CCA launches TX Child Care Tools, a statewide, online resource platform designed to strengthen child care programs through easy-to-access tools and actionable strategies while supporting child care program mentors.The Miles Foundation invests start-up funds to help CCA launch the social enterprise.

2018

CCA kicks off its 50th anniversary year with the release of its “North Star” framework, charting a course for early education in the decade ahead.