The child care services program subsidizes child care for low-income families, promoting long-term self-sufficiency by enabling parents to work or attend workforce training or education activities. It also educates parents about the availability of quality child care, which enhances children’s early learning. Additionally, the program provides supports to early learning programs working to improve the quality of child care services. To learn more about the impact of TWC’s child care program, see Child Care by the Numbers.
On this page:
Customers
Parents
Learn how eligible families of children under the age of 13 may receive child care financial assistance so that parents can work, attend school or participate in training. Additionally, learn about what high quality child care looks like and how to find it.
Visit the Texas Child Care Availability Portal, a mapping search tool to help parents find child care. This also includes quality certification through Texas Rising Star, addresses, available seats by age, and links to their Child Care Regulation safety and health inspection reports and history.
Child Care and Early Learning Programs
Find out how to provide services to families that receive child care financial assistance. Additionally, learn about resources to improve program quality including information about the Texas Rising Star quality rating and improvement system for child care and early learning programs in Texas.
Child Care Quality Improvement
Data and Reports
Child Care by the Numbers
TWC has developed Child Care by the Numbers, which provides both current information (for the most recent 15 months, updated quarterly), and historical information (back to 2015), on the child care program, including:
- Number of children served in TRS and in non-TRS providers
- Number of child care providers serving subsidy children, both TRS and non-TRS
Plans and Reports
TWC also publishes other plans and reports regarding child care services:
- Child Care and Development Fund State Plan (ACF-118)
- Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey
- Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey Study Methodology
- Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Subsidized Child Care Program
- BCY 21 Board Income Limits for CCDF Eligibility
- Board Parent Share of Cost Charts State Plan
Additionally, the Texas Early Learning Council has published the following reports:
Child Care and Development Fund Annual Quality Progress Report (ACF-218)
The Administration for Children and Families uses the annual Quality Progress Report (QPR) to collect information from states to describe investments to increase access to high quality child care for children from birth to age 13. The annual data provided is used to describe state priorities and strategies to key stakeholders, including Congress, federal and state administrators, providers, parents, and the public.
- Texas FFY 2019 Child Care Quality Progress Report
- Texas FFY 2018 Child Care Quality Progress Report
- Child Care Quality Performance Report for 2015
Child Care and Development Fund Monthly Case-Level Report (ACF-801)
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care (OCC) collects data regarding the children and families served through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). All CCDF lead agencies are required to report this data through the ACF-801 case-level data submission. TWC submits the ACF-801 to OCC 60 days after the end of each quarter of the federal fiscal year.
Authority & Funding
Child Care Services is funded through the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child Care. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is the lead agency for CCDF in Texas. Workforce Development Boards administer child care services through the Workforce Solutions offices. CCDF is authorized by the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act and Section 418 of the Social Security Act.
CCDF Final Regulations:
State Child Care-Related Regulations:
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 20, Chapter 809
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 20, §800.58
- Child Care Licensing Rules
Texas CCDF Funding
The Texas State Legislature allocates the majority of CCDF funds to TWC to provide direct child care services to eligible families and to support the improvement of child care quality across the state. TWC in turn allocates most of these dollars to the 28 Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) to oversee service delivery. At the state level, funds are also directed to statewide initiatives to improve child care quality and to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to administer Child Care Licensing.
Stakeholder Input
TWC’s three-member Commission (Commission) affords the public the opportunity to provide input during any of its posted public meetings. Additionally, the Commission works with staff to provide opportunities for:
- child care and early learning stakeholders to offer input on subsidized child care
- TEA, school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, relevant businesses, and the public to offer input on coordination between subsidized child care and pre-K;
- child care providers to offer input on existing health and safety regulations that could be more efficient or less costly without reducing health and safety outcomes; and
- child care providers to offer input on burdens relating to complying with existing regulations that could be mitigated, reduced, or eliminated while maintaining the intent, objective, or purpose of the underlying regulation.
TWC notifies stakeholders of opportunities to attend regional meetings and of other child care updates. Stakeholders interested in receiving updates should Sign up to receive workforce updates you can use by entering your email address and selecting the child care topic areas.
Stakeholders may also provide input to TWC’s Child Care and Early Learning Division at any time at: CC&EL Stakeholder Feedback
TWC Currently has several issues that we are actively seeking feedback on:
New Child Care Funds from Federal Stimulus
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 contained coronavirus emergency response and relief provisions, including additional funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG). The law authorizes $10 billion in additional CCDBG funds. Texas will receive $1,135,748,591.
The following document provides information about the legislation and TWC’s initial considerations for investing the funds: Bipartisan COVID Relief CCDBG
TWC held a webinar on February 5, 2021, regarding the federal COVID Response and Relief Stimulus Act (CRRSA) and the $1.13 billion of CRRSA funds allocated to Texas through the Child Care Developmental Block Grant (CCDB). This webinar provides an overview of CRRSA and a review of the child care supports and investments that TWC is considering.
- New Child Care Funding Stakeholder Meeting
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 contains flexible Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding and additional CCDBG stabilization funding for providers. The law authorizes $39 billion in CCDBG funds. Texas will received $1.7 billion in flexible CCDBG funding and $2.7 billion in CCDBG stabilization funding. More information is forthcoming.
Texas 2022–2024 Child Care State Plan
TWC is currently seeking input on the development of the Child Care and Development Fund State Plan for Fiscal Years 2022–2024. The expected timeline for the development and submission of the plan is as follows:
- Stakeholder Input in the Development of the CCDF State Plan—Fall/Winter 2020
- Commission Approval of a Draft CCDF State Plan—Tuesday, April 20, 2021
- Public Hearing(s)/Public Review/Comment—Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
- Commission Approval of Final CCDF State Plan—June 2021
- CCDF State Plan Effective Date—October 1, 2021
- Commission-Approved Discussion Paper: Initial Guidance into the Development of the CCDF State Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2024
- Results of Fall 2020 stakeholder survey on the CCDF State Plan: 2022–2024 CCDF State Plan Survey
CCDF 2022–2024 State Plan Public Hearing--This event will be a hybrid meeting with opportunities to provide input either in-person or virtually.
The public is invited to provide input on Child Care Services.
WHEN: April 27, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. CST
WHERE: Texas Workforce Commission Main Building, Rm 244
101 East 15th Street
Austin, Texas 78778
Access Virtually: https://twc.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1 (Listen only)
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will hold a public hearing to give the public an opportunity to provide feedback on the administration of the state’s subsidized child care program and the draft Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) 2022–2024 State Plan. TWC welcomes input on all aspects of the state’s subsidized child care system including:
- the delivery of subsidized child care services
- alignment of early education programs
- quality initiatives and standards, including the Texas Rising Star program
- other topics central to early childhood education
To provide written input or to register to speak during the meeting, please complete the Public Registration Form. Registration for virtual comments must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 26, 2021. Individuals registering to give virtual testimony will receive a separate link to access the meeting. The public may register on-site the day of the public meeting for in-person testimony. Please submit written comments on the proposed draft CCDF State Plan to ccel@twc.texas.gov by May 11, 2021.
TWC’s draft CCDF State Plan will be available at TWC Proposed Rules by 5:00 p.m. on April 20, 2021.
Texas Rising Star Program
Additionally, stakeholders may provide specific feedback on implementation of the Texas Rising Star Four-Year Review revisions and other quality improvement plans. More information is available on the Texas Rising Star Workgroup website. TWC is especially interested in feedback on the following topics:
- The implementation of Continuous Quality Improvement Plans for Texas Rising Star child care and early learning programs. Commission Approved Chapter 809 Child Care Services Rules
- A five-year plan for requiring programs that receive child care subsidies to qualify for a “Pre-Star” designation Commission-Approved Discussion Paper. Pre-Star Requirements for Subsidized Child Care Providers
Other Resources
Additional state and national child care resources.
- Health and Human Services Commission: Texas Child Care Search
- TWC Child Care & Early Learning Policy and Guidance
- Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Care
- Texas State Center for Early Childhood, the Children's Learning Institute
- National Compendium of State Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
- National Database of State CCDF Policies
Service
- Find your local Workforce Solutions office to access child care assistance
- All other inquiries, please use the Texas Child Care Solutions contact form
- Employment support resources
Report Fraud
- Report suspected fraud, waste or program abuse
800-252-3642