Child Care & Early Learning Services - Program Overview

About Texas Rising Star

The Texas Rising Star program is a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for child care programs participating in the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) subsidized child care program. Texas Rising Star is an excellent option for parents who are looking for high quality child care for their children. To learn more about Texas Rising Star and the services it offers parents, look through our brochure in English , Spanish , or Vietnamese .

Texas Rising Star certification is available to regulated child care programs (centers and homes) that meet the certification criteria. Learn more about how child care providers can be a part of Texas Rising Star.

Commonly Asked Questions:

What is a Texas Rising Star-certified program?

An early learning program that has an agreement to serve Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)-subsidized children and voluntarily meets quality requirements that exceed the State’s Child Care Regulation minimum standards, receiving a certification level of 2-, 3-, or 4-Star.

How can I find a Texas Rising Star early learning program in my area?

The Texas Child Care Availability Portal helps match families that need care with early learning programs that have available spots. While not all programs are Texas Rising Star-certified, Texas Rising Star-certified programs will show up higher on the search list. Parents can easily access information about early learning programs in their area that have current openings, which are updated on a weekly basis. In this portal, parents can also view:

• Quality certifications and accreditations (Texas Rising Star-certified programs will have a unique indicator
• Available spots by age
• Links to the program’s licensing safety and health inspection reports and history

Additionally, The Parent’s Guide to Choosing Quality Childcare  can be used to assist you in starting your search, knowing what key questions to ask, look for signs of quality, and help guide you through the selection process.

How can I ask more questions about Texas Rising Star?

Do you have a question about the Texas Rising Star program? Use this contact form to get your answer! Your question will be received by local Workforce Solutions partners that serve your area of residence.

The Texas Workforce Commission and its local Workforce Solutions partners offers many benefits to parents!

These benefits include:

• Free or reduced priced child care
• Access to child care while you attend work or go to school
• Access to programs that meet your needs
• Options for a family member to care for your child
• Access to workforce supports and other resources

Information about quality educational opportunities for your child attend 

Resources for Parents

Family Resources in Texas

To find support organizations and programs near you, visit Family Resources.

Financial Aid for Child Care

To find out 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, visit Texas Child Care Solutions. If your child has a disability, he or she may also be eligible for child care financial aid, visit Children with Disabilities.

Texas Child Care Availability Portal

The Texas Child Care Availability Portal is a mapping search tool to help parents find child care. This also includes programs that are certified quality through Texas Rising Star, as well as their addresses, available seats by age, and links to their Child Care Regulation safety and health inspection reports and history.

Texas Child Care Solutions

Texas Child Care Solutions provides parents and child care providers access to resources and information to assist them in making informed choices to meet their child care and program needs.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines follow child development and give teaching strategies for each of the guidelines. The new guidelines offer information and support to prepare all children for success in Kindergarten.

Texas Early Learning Guidelines

The Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year Old Learning Guidelines include important information about how to support your child’s development from birth through three years old.

Texas Rising Star Program

Children who attend high-quality early learning programs can make significant gains in their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Texas Rising Star helps parents know when they find a quality early learning program for their children. Texas Rising Star also offers many resources for parents of young children. Learn more about Texas Rising Star, by viewing the parent brochure .

Texas Rising Star

The Texas Rising Star program offers three levels of quality certification (2-Star, 3-Star, and 4-Star) to encourage child care and early learning programs to attain progressively higher levels of quality. These certification levels are tied to graduated enhanced reimbursement rates for children receiving subsidies. The statewide revenue calculator template for Texas Rising Star can help you determine your revenue at different levels of Texas Rising Star. Access the calculator .

Child Care Industry Partnership

The Child Care Industry Partnership (CCIP) program fosters collaborations by supporting public-private investments in projects that improve the quality of child care and early learning. Learn more at Child Care Industry Partnership.

Child Care and Public Prekindergarten Partnerships

A child care/pre-K partnership is a collaboration between a public-school pre-K program and one or more quality-rated child care providers (sometimes referred to as “day care”) to provide high-quality care and education to three- and four-year-old children. This is also called an “early learning partnership.” Texas Rising Star 3- and 4-Star providers are eligible for pre-K partnerships. Learn more at Public Prekindergarten Partnerships.
 

Local Workforce Solutions Partners

A Local Workforce Solutions Partner, also identified as a Local Workforce Development Board, is a group of community leaders appointed by local elected officials and charged with planning and oversight responsibilities for workforce programs and services in their area. Learn more about the 28 boards in Texas at Workforce Development Boards.

Data

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 Texas Rising Star and in non-Texas Rising Star providers
• Number of child care providers serving subsidy children, both Texas Rising Star and non-Texas Rising Star

National Databases

• The National Compendium of State Quality Rating and Improvement Systems is a catalog and comparison of quality initiatives including Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to promote design, analysis and ongoing improvement in early care and education systems building.
• The National Database of State CCDF Policies is a single source of information on the detailed rules for States’ and Territories’ child care subsidy programs under the Child Care and Development Fund. Key areas of policy covered by the database include family eligibility, application and redetermination, priorities and waiting lists, family payments, provider requirements, and reimbursement rates.

Reports

TWC publishes the following reports regarding child care services plans and activities:

• Child Care and Development Fund 2022-2024 State Plan
• Child Care and Development Fund State Plan (archives)
• Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Subsidized Child Care Program

TWC publishes the following reports regarding child care services reimbursement rates and parent share of cost:

• Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey
• Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey Study Methodology
• BCY 21 Board Income Limits for CCDF Eligibility
• BCY 22 Board Income Limits for CCDF Eligibility
• Board Parent Share of Cost Charts 

Additionally, the Texas Early Learning Council has published the following reports: 

• Texas Early Learning Statewide Needs Assessment
• Texas Early Learning Strategic Plan

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.

• 2018 Reports
  • Q1 2018
  • Q2 2018
  • Q3 2018
  • Q4 2018
• 2019 Reports
  • Q1 2019
  • Q2 2019
  • Q3 2019
  • Q4 2019
• 2020 Reports
  • Q1 2020
  • Q2 2020

Funding

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.  Access the webinar at 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 receive $1.7 billion in flexible CCDBG funding and $2.7 billion in CCDBG stabilization funding. More information is forthcoming.
• More information about CCDBG federal stimulus funds and how Texas is using these funds is available on TWC’s COVID-19 Resources for Child Care webpage.

Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Care

The Office of Child Care supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children's learning by improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool programs.

TWC Child Care & Early Learning Policy and Guidance

TWC’s Workforce Policy and Guidance page provides searchable access to Workforce Development Letters, Adult Education and Literacy Letters, and Technical Assistance Bulletins.

Child Care and Development Fund

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.

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 Regulation. Learn more at Texas Workforce Commission Financial & Grant Information.

For more information on CCDF Final Regulations:

• CCDF Final Regulations (Title 45 - Public Welfare Part 98)

For more information on Sate Child Care-Related Regulations:

• Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 20, Chapter 809
• Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 20, §800.58
• Child Care Regulation Rules