Texas Rising Star Workgroup

On this page:

Overview
Provide Feedback
Stay Informed
TRS Workgroup Members
TRS Review Timeline
Workgroup Meeting Notes & Materials
Workgroup Resources

Overview

Every four years, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) conducts a comprehensive review of the Texas Rising Star (TRS) program. The comprehensive review is performed in addition to any changes that were made during the four-year period. TWC is beginning the comprehensive review of TRS, which is scheduled to be completed in 2020. Stakeholders are a critical component of this review.

TWC has established a TRS workgroup to help inform the review. The TRS workgroup will review all of the input we receive and develop recommendations for TWC to consider in the development of new TRS Guidelines. This includes input from TWC-funded research that was conducted by the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. CLI’s initial findings are available now. A link to this information is included under “Workgroup Resources.” The TRS workgroup also will consider input we receive from stakeholders. We invite child care providers and other stakeholders to submit input to TWC.

Texas Rising Star Revisions Overview Webinar Recording (http://twc.adobeconnect.com/pgj54fba2vrh/)
Texas Rising Star Revisions Overview Webinar Slides
Texas Rising Star Revisions Overview Frequently Asked Questions
Grabación del Resumen de la Revision Propuesta de Texas Rising Star (https://twc.adobeconnect.com/_a952639191/p85uiij3gixm/)
Descripción General de las Revisiones de Texas Rising Star

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Provide Feedback

On October 6, 2020 the Commission approved the Proposed Amendments to 40 TAC Chapter 809, Child Care Services (including Texas Rising Star). Please address feedback for these proposed amendments to TWCPolicyComments@twc.state.tx.us by November 23, 2020.

On July 14, 2020, the Commission approved the Texas Rising Star Four-Year Review Recommendations. Feedback for this policy concept was due on July 28, 2020

Texas Rising Star Public Stakeholder Meeting Announcement

Pursuant to Texas Government Code §2001.039 and 40 Texas Administrative Code §809.130, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) must review and update the Texas Rising Star guidelines at a minimum every four years. The review must consider input from stakeholders via a public hearing prior to submitting stakeholder input to TWC. TWC must then adopt the final updates in an open meeting.

Beginning in May 2019, TWC convened a workgroup that included various stakeholders from across the state to review the guidelines and recommend revisions. Over the preceding eight months, the workgroup has met regularly to review Texas Rising Star guidelines in detail and to engage in a collaborative effort to improve the standards.

TWC invites the public to learn about the workgroup’s recommendations and to provide comment. The following public meetings will take place in February 2020:

Date	Time	Location	Notes
Tuesday 4-Feb	6pm	Austin Workforce Solutions Capital Area 9001 N IH 35, Ste 110 Austin TX	Austin
Wednesday 12-Feb	6pm	Houston Houston Galveston Area Council of Governments (HGAC) 3555 Timmons Suite 120, 2nd floor conference room A-C, Houston TX 77027	Houston
Thursday 13-Feb	6pm	McAllen Workforce Solutions Corporate Office 3101 W. U.S. Highway 83 McAllen, TX 78501	McAllen
Wednesday 19-Feb	6pm	Arlington North Central Texas Council of Governments 600 Six Flags Drive, Suite 300 Tejas A-B Conference Room Arlington, TX 76011	Arlington
Thursday 20-Feb	6pm	Waco McLennan County Workforce Solutions Center 1416 S. New Road Rm. #272 Waco, TX 76711	Waco
Tuesday 25-Feb	6pm	Lubbock Workforce Solutions South Plains 2002 West Loop 289 Suite 117 (inside Wayland Plaza) Lubbock, TX 79401	Lubbock
Wednesday 26-Feb	6pm	El Paso YWCA Joyce Whitfield Jaynes Branch, 1600 Brown Street El Paso, TX 79902	El Paso

Please join us at any of the meetings to provide feedback for consideration. More information about the proposed changes is available below. We also welcome interested parties to submit comments by February 26, 2020, to TRS4YearReview@twc.state.tx.us.

Meeting Materials and Revised Draft Documents

Texas Rising Star 4-year Review Recommendations Overview

Data Summary: Detailed Workgroup Revision Summary

Facility Assessment Record Form (revised 10/2020)

Classroom Assessment Record Form (revised 10/2020)

Continuous Quality Improvement Plan Form

Screening Form for Current Texas Rising Star Programs (revised 10/2020)

Screening Form for Initial Applicants

Revised Texas Rising Star Guidelines

Pre-Star Checklist

Revisions Overview for Non-Certified Programs Power Point

Persons with disabilities who plan to attend any of the meetings and who may need auxiliary aids, services, or special accommodations should contact Conference and Media Services at (512) 463-6389 or by email at conferenceplanning.media@twc.state.tx.us at least 7–10 working days prior to the meeting, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

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Stay Informed

Sign up to receive “TRS 4-Year Review” updates.

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TRS Workgroup Members

Name	Organization/Business
Reagan Miller	Texas Workforce Commission
Julie Richards	Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Jacquie Porter	Texas Education Agency
April Crawford	UT Health Science Center, Children’s Learning Institute
Mandi Kimball	Children at Risk
Kim Kofron	Texas Association for the Education of Young Children
Belinda Rojas	Together4Children
Michael Gonzalez	Kids R Kids
Bea Vargas	El Papalote Inclusive Child Development Center
Murriel Webb	Braswell Child Development Center
Jill Goodrich	Opportunity School
Erica Mata	Bess Knapp Child Development and Child Care
Sheila Matthews	Open Door East School
Rahima Bahalim	Super Kids Academy
Carolyn Griffin	Grace Place Child Development Center
Anthony Billings	Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas
Mary Ross	Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas
Judy McDonald	Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County

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TRS Review Timeline

May 2019	Workgroup established
June 2019	Regional Focus Group meetings – Heart of Texas, West Central, Tarrant County, Lower Rio, Coastal Bend, Gulf Coast, Rural Capital, Texoma
July 23, 2019 10:00am – 2:00pm	TRS Workgroup Meeting, 10am – 4:00pm, 101 East 15th Street, Austin This will be a posted meeting, open to the public.
August – October 2019	Bi-Weekly Workgroup Conference Calls
October 29, 2019 10:30am – 2:30pm	TRS Workgroup Meeting, 10:30am – 4:30pm, 101 East 15th Street, Austin This will be a posted meeting, open to the public
November – January 2020	Bi-Weekly Workgroup Conference Calls
December 17, 2019 10:00am – 2:00pm	TRS Workgroup Meeting, 10am – 4:00pm, 101 East 15th Street, Austin This will be a posted meeting, open to the public.
January 2020	TWC Approval of Draft TRS Guidelines
February 2020	Regional public meetings to receive input on draft TRS Guidelines
July 7, 2020	Commission to consider administrative rule changes and revision to Guidelines.
August - December 2020	TWC rulemaking process to implement revisions
January 5, 2021	Rule changes and Guideline revisions effective
January - March 2021	Tentative freeze on Texas Rising Star visits
April 2021	Implementation of revisions begins (current TRS providers will implement at recertification)

Throughout the TRS review process, the workgroup will also meet through conference calls, as necessary. TWC will post workgroup meeting material and notes on this page as they become available.

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Workgroup Meeting Notes & Materials

Feedback Data Summary

This Data Summary includes the data collected from the eight regional focus groups, TRS staff phone calls, and the emails received via the TRS4yearReview@twc.state.tx.us mailbox regarding the considerations provided for the review, as well as the workgroup’s input.The Data Summary is a working document and will be updated as necessary following each workgroup meeting.

June 24, 2019 Workgroup Conference Call

Meeting Notes