Texas Rising Star Workgroup

On this page:

Overview
Stakeholder Feedback
Stayed 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 program. TWC’s most recent review was completed in 2021, and TWC has begun to implement the resulting changes.

TWC established a Texas Rising Star workgroup to help inform the review. The workgroup considered stakeholder input and developed recommendations for TWC to consider in the development of new certification Guidelines. On January 5, 2021, the Commission approved the Amendments to TWC’s Chapter 809 Child Care Services Rules based on the workgroup’s recommendations. These rules became effective January 25, 2021, and implementation will begin April 1, 2021.

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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Stakeholder Feedback

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. In February 2020, TWC invited the public to learn about the workgroup’s recommendations and to provide comment during the following public meetings.

Date	Location	Notes
4-Feb	Austin Workforce Solutions Capital Area	Austin
12-Feb	Houston Houston Galveston Area Council of Governments(HGAC)	Houston
13-Feb	McAllen Workforce Solutions Corporate Office	McAllen
19-Feb	Arlington North Central Texas Council of Governments	Arlington
20-Feb	Waco McLennan County Workforce Solutions Center	Waco
25-Feb	Lubbock Workforce Solutions South Plains	Lubbock
26-Feb	El Paso YWCA	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.texas.gov.

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 02/2021)
Classroom Assessment Record Form (revised 02/2021)
Continuous Quality Improvement Plan Form (revised 02/2021)
Screening Form for Current Texas Rising Star Programs (revised 02/2021)
Screening Form for Initial Applicants (revised 02/2021)
Revised Texas Rising Star Guidelines (revised 02/2021)
Pre-Star Checklist (revised 12/2020)
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.texas.gov at least 7–10 working days prior to the meeting, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

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Stayed 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 - Spring 2021	Deferment of Texas Rising Star visits
Early Summer 2021	Implementation of revisions begins (current TRS providers will implement at upcoming visit or via prioritization plan) This date is TBD. For more information, please see WD Letter 06-21.

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.texas.gov 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.