Nearly 3 in 10 Texas daycare centers had a high-risk violation in the past year
Texas rates every child care rule by how much risk breaking it poses to children. We counted every high-risk citation at the state’s 9,596 licensed centers since October 2021, using Texas Health and Human Services inspection records. Data through Oct 1, 2026; updated daily.
Key findings
29% of Texas’s 9,596 licensed child care centers (2,797 centers) received at least one high-risk citation in the 12 months to Oct 1, 2026.
Across all inspections since October 2021, Texas inspectors issued 24.7 high-risk citations for every 100 inspections (26,195 in total).
Supervision is the most common high-risk problem: 6,300 high-risk citations (24%), followed by caregiver conduct (4,737) and building and playground safety (3,067).
Among the 15 counties with at least 150 centers, Harris County had the highest rate (32.8 per 100 inspections) and El Paso County the lowest (15.3).
High-risk citations per 100 inspections, largest Texas counties
Statewide: 24.7. Counties with at least 150 licensed centers. Rates count high-risk citations from inspections and investigations, divided by routine inspections.
County details
| County | Centers | Inspections | High-risk citations | Per 100 inspections | Centers with one in the last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 1,471 | 15,377 | 5,051 | 32.8 | 32% |
| Brazoria County | 159 | 1,684 | 490 | 29.1 | 27% |
| Fort Bend County | 323 | 3,298 | 942 | 28.6 | 35% |
| Bell County | 157 | 1,991 | 537 | 27.0 | 33% |
| Tarrant County | 624 | 7,810 | 2,076 | 26.6 | 34% |
| Montgomery County | 182 | 1,949 | 511 | 26.2 | 28% |
| Williamson County | 302 | 3,158 | 801 | 25.4 | 31% |
| Bexar County | 545 | 8,059 | 1,996 | 24.8 | 41% |
| Collin County | 443 | 5,075 | 1,246 | 24.6 | 31% |
| Denton County | 304 | 3,396 | 825 | 24.3 | 30% |
| Dallas County | 722 | 7,951 | 1,718 | 21.6 | 26% |
| Travis County | 507 | 5,022 | 981 | 19.5 | 22% |
| Hidalgo County | 418 | 4,229 | 723 | 17.1 | 20% |
| Cameron County | 186 | 1,685 | 271 | 16.1 | 17% |
| El Paso County | 273 | 2,423 | 370 | 15.3 | 17% |
The high-risk rules broken most often
| Rule | What it covers | High-risk citations |
|---|---|---|
| §746.1205(a)(4) | Supervision ensures each child’s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child’s on going activity | 2,964 |
| §745.641 | AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation | 2,157 |
| §746.5101(a) | Annual Fire Inspection - Before Initial Permit Issued and Every 12 Months | 2,061 |
| §746.1201(1) | Responsibilities of Employees and Caregivers -Demonstrate Competency, Good Judgment, Self-control | 1,840 |
| §746.305(a)(6) | Report Situation Placing Children at Risk | 786 |
| §746.2805(3) | Prohibited Punishments - Grabbing and Pulling | 769 |
| §746.3407(12) | Mark Cleaning Supplies, Toxic Materials; Keep Separate from Food and Inaccessible to Children | 692 |
| §746.1205(a)(2) | Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know number of children responsible for | 652 |
Rule numbers refer to Texas Administrative Code Title 26, Chapters 745 and 746.
What this does and doesn’t show
A high-risk citation means the rule broken is one Texas rates High; the state judges each incident’s seriousness separately. Differences between counties can reflect how often centers are inspected and investigated, not only how centers perform. Many citations are corrected the same day. To judge one center, read its own record: every Texas center has a page that lists each citation in the inspector’s words, starting from Texas.
Using these numbers: the figures come from public state inspection records and may be quoted with a link to this page (https://daycarerecord.com/reports/texas-daycare-high-risk-violations/). Every county and center mentioned has its own page on Daycare Record with the underlying records.