Schools consider child care as 'perk' for employees

School district employees participate in a survey, answering questions regarding the number and ages of their children, the type of child care they use (full-day, half-day, nights, weekends, etc.), who provides the care, how often they have missed work because of a breakdown in the provision of their child's care, how much they pay for child care and whether they would use a child care program in the district if it were offered. That information is then reviewed to determine if there is a genuine need and if such a service would be utilized.

Esau said 10 percent of the state's public school districts already have child care programs that are licensed by the Department of Family and Protective Services. "It's a trend," she said. "More and more districts are looking at it. It is a sound recruitment and retention tool."

The Longview ISD is among the most recent districts surveyed, with its survey completed last week. The district already has an after school care program and is considering daytime child care for children up to age four.