Texas Parents as Teachers (TXPAT) supports Texas affiliates with the Parents as Teachers (PAT) National Center in Saint Louis, Missouri. Parents as Teachers provides parents with child development knowledge and parenting support, screens early for developmental delays and health issues, prevents child abuse and neglect, and increases children's school readiness.

Texas Parents as Teachers has been serving families since 1986. In Texas, there are currently 40 affiliates serving about 6,000 families. TXPAT affiliates receive funding from a variety of sources, including school districts, nonprofits, and government programs. Visit our Texas Affiliates page for more information.

What is PAT?

The Parents as Teachers program is an evidence-based early childhood home visiting framework that builds strong communities, thriving families and children who are healthy, safe and ready to learn. Parents as Teachers certifies professional parent educators to implement the program. Parent Educators emphasize parent-child interaction, development centered parenting, and family well-being in their work with families.

The Parents as Teachers model has four components: personal visits, group connections, screenings, and resource referrals. Together, these form a dynamic package of services for families. Parents as Teachers serves a range of families with varying needs and offers services to parents with children at any point from the prenatal period through kindergarten. For more information, visit the National Parents as Teachers website at parentsasteachers.org.