Improving Quality of Child Care

Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas recognizes the vital role that quality child care plays in the development of young children. A child’s experience during the critical early years lays the foundation for the rest of their lives. As a result, child care affects the way that children think, learn, and behave.

Texas Rising Star (TRS) Program

Because the quality of care a child receives early in life is so critically important, Workforce Solutions encourages contracted providers to participate in the Texas Rising Star (TRS) Program, a voluntary program designed to recognize those child care providers meeting criteria that exceeds the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Child Care Licensing Minimum Standards.

To learn more about the Texas Rising Star program, please visit Texas Rising Star website (best displayed with Google Chrome browser). To express your interest in becoming a Texas Rising Star provider, contact the CCS office at 325-795-4200 and ask to speak to a Child Development Specialist.

TRS 2020 Four-Year Review

Every four years, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) conducts a comprehensive review of the Texas Rising Star (TRS) program. To inform the 2020 program review, a TRS workgroup was established to review all of the input received from stakeholders (including child care providers) and make recommendations for TWC to consider in the development of new TRS Guidelines. Up-to-date information including revised guidelines, meeting materials, and other items are available on the TRS workgroup webpage.

Input was also received from TWC-funded research that was conducted by the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. The presentation on CLI’s initial findings is available on the workgroup webpage under "Workgroup Resources" as a PowerPoint or recorded session (with transcript).

Child Care Provider Training

Throughout the year, Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas offers a variety of training classes and workshops to contracted providers to improve the quality of care children and families receive. This includes a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Program, outdoor STEM learning, nature education for children in care, and more!