Jeff Bezos opening more tuition-free Bezos Academy preschools in Texas. Here's where

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is known for making online shopping convenient for consumers. He’s now looking to make child care education convenient.

Bezos has opened several Montessori-inspired preschools in the U.S. and is expanding in Texas. According to USA TODAY, Bezos Academy is free for children who are accepted.

How many Bezos Academy preschools are in Texas?

As of now, there are 13 preschools in Texas that are all tuition-free.

Bezos Academy preschools are free for children ages 3 through 5 and open to families who make less than 400 percent of the federal poverty line. That’s a bit more than $92,000 annually for a family of three, according to Bezos Academy eligibility guidelines for this school year.

The preschool is open year-round, typically from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They provide children with three meals per day, plus snacks.

Bezos also has academies set up in Arizona, Florida, Washington, Kentucky and Hawaii.

Where are the Bezos Academy preschools located in Texas?

• Dallas – Cockrell Hill (4849 W Illinois Ave Dallas, TX 75211)

• Dallas – Singing Hills (2101 Crouch Road Dallas, TX 75241) — Opening fall 2024

• Denton (1820 Frame Street Denton, TX 76209) — Opening fall 2024

• Houston – Denver Harbor (6402 Market St Houston, TX 77020)

• Houston – Magnolia Park (7524 Ave E Houston, TX 77012)

• Houston – North Shore (5800 Uvalde Rd Houston, TX 77049)

• Houston – Northside (8855 McGallion Rd Houston, TX 77022) — Opening fall 2024

• Houston – South Side (2605 Reed Rd Houston, TX 77051)

• Houston – Third Ward (2604 Gray St Houston, TX 77003) — Opening fall 2024

• Lancaster – Cedar Valley (3030 N Dallas Ave Lancaster, TX 75134)

• North Dallas (8703 Stults Rd. Ste 100 Dallas, TX 75243)

• Old East Dallas (4724 East Side Ave Dallas, Texas 75226) — Opening fall 2024

• Universal City (1201 Kitty Hawk Rd Universal City, Texas 78148) — Opening fall 2024

What is the deadline to apply for Bezos Academy?

The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 school year at most Bezos Academy locations in Texas has passed. Families will be notified of their status by May 20.

To be eligible for the lottery, applicants must apply for Universal City by 11:59 p.m. PST on July 14.

How much do parents spend a year on child care?

According to the Institute For Women's Policy Research, American families spend 11 percent of their monthly income on child care for children 3-4 years old. The study also shares that universal pre-kindergarten wouldsave families $17 billion per year.

Other data in the study shows that:

• Black families spend over 12 percent of their monthly income on child care.

• "Single parents spend almost 75 percent more on child care than two-parent households."

• "American families spend an average of $690 per month, or $6,211 annually, out of their own pockets on child care during weekday standard hours just for their three- and four-year-olds."

What are Texans spending on child care?

According to the University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, "the average cost for infant care in Texas is $777 per month, or $9,324 per year — nearly 14% of the state’s median household income of $67,321 and more expensive than a year of in-state tuition at a four-year public college."

Other data in the study showed that:

• "More than half of the counties in Texas have become child care deserts, where there are at least three times as many children under age 5 as there are fully licensed child care slots available."

• "Texas child care workers earn poverty-level wages, with an average wage of $12 per hour. "

• "Between March 2020 and January 2023, Texas had 5,000 child care centers and licensed family homes close, leaving the state with 27% fewer child care programs compared with pre-pandemic levels."

— USA TODAY contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Jeff Bezos opening more tuition-free Bezos Academy preschools in Texas