A local workforce development board may contract for subsidized child care services, but providers must meet eligibility requirements and the board must report on the contract.
Sec. 302.0461. CHILD CARE PROVIDER CONTRACT AGREEMENTS. (a) A local workforce development board may contract with child care providers operating in the board's area to provide subsidized child care services. The local workforce development board shall determine the number of places that the board reserves in the contract with a child care provider participating in the commission's subsidized child care program. (b) To be eligible for a contract under Subsection (a), a child care provider must: (1) be a Texas Rising Star Program provider with a three-star rating or higher; and (2) meet one of the following priorities of the commission: (A) be located in: (i) an area where the number of children younger than six years of age who have working parents is at least three times greater than the capacity of licensed child care providers in the area; or (ii) an area determined by the commission to be underserved with respect to child care providers; (B) have a partnership with a school district to provide a prekindergarten program; (C) have a partnership with the Early Head Start or Head Start Program; (D) increase the number of places reserved for infants and toddlers by high-quality child care providers; or (E) satisfy a requirement in the local workforce development board's strategic plan. (c) Not later than six months after a local workforce development board enters into a contract under Subsection (a), the board shall submit a report to the commission evaluating the contract to determine its effect on: (1) the financial stability of the child care provider participating in the contract; (2) the availability of high-quality child care options for participants in the commission's subsidized child care program in the workforce development area; (3) the number of high-quality child care providers in any part of the workforce development area with a high concentration of families with a need for child care; and (4) the percentage of children participating in the commission's subsidized child care program at each Texas Rising Star Program provider in the local workforce development area. (d) The commission shall determine the information that must be included in the report required by Subsection (c). A local workforce development board shall update the report required by Subsection (c) every 12 months from the date the board submits its initial report to the commission. Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 680), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2019. Amended by: Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1031 (H.B. 2607), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2021.