8.1 Coordination with Partners to Expand Accessibility and Continuity of Care

Lead Agencies must coordinate child care services supported by CCDF with other federal, State/Territory, and local level programs. This includes programs for the benefit of Indian children, infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. 8.1.1 Coordination with required and optional partners Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates and the results of this coordination of the provision of child care services with the organizations and agencies to expand accessibility and continuity of care and to assist children enrolled in early childhood programs in receiving full-day services that meet the needs of working families. The Lead Agency must coordinate with the following agencies: a. State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or similar coordinating body (pursuant to 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The TELC serves as Texas’ State Advisory Council on ECE and Care. Members of TELC, including Texas CCDF Administrator and TELC Chairperson Reagan Miller, are appointed by Governor Greg Abbott. The Council utilizes its breadth of stakeholder representation to increase coordination and collaboration across state agencies and local program and service providers to improve the quality of and access to early childhood services across Texas. TELC includes representatives from the following agencies and organizations: HHSC CCR; FSS (previously Texas DFPS); PEI; HHSC ECI; TEA ECE; THSCO; DFPS CPS; TECPDS; Texas DSHS Maternal Health and Substance Abuse; Greater East Texas Community Action Program; CLI of University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston; TXAEYC; Texans Care for Children; PNC Financial Services Group; and Texas Public Broadcasting Association. TELC meets every other month. TWC regularly presents information to TELC and receives feedback on child care and early learning issues. Additionally, TELC provides significant input into the PDG B-5 work, particularly the 2023 statewide early childhood needs assessment and 2024-2026 strategic plan. TWC’s coordination with TELC results in enhancing and aligning the quality of services for infants and toddlers through school- age children. b. Indian Tribe(s) and/or Tribal organization(s), at the option of the Tribe or Tribal organization. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination, including which Tribe(s) was (were) involved: Boards connect with tribes located in their LWDAs (Borderplex, Deep East, and Middle Rio) to support them as needed. Boards share opportunities for free training and professional development with tribes. Other services to be coordinated will be based on the tribes’ needs and the Boards’ available resources. During the summer of 2023, TWC visited the Tribal CCDF administrators from the Alabama-Coushatta, Kickapoo, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribes at their sites along with representatives from the Boards, Office of Child Care, Tribal Capacity Building Center, and State Capacity Building Center. During these meetings, some areas were identified for potential program changes to better support both tribal and Board needs. In August 2023, Kickapoo opened a new school that includes child care and HS classrooms. At this time, the Tribal CCDF Administrator does not see a need to become licensed or Texas Rising Star certified, as the school is funded by the tribe and only children in the tribe are eligible to attend. TWC and Workforce Solutions Middle Rio Grande will continue to meet with the Tribal CCDF Administrator regularly. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is also in the process of building a new school with new child care classrooms. The tribe has one LCCH provider who participates in CCS and is Texas Rising Star certified. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is also in the process of becoming an accredited Montessori school. Based on this discussion and other requests, TWC is updating the list of recognized accreditation organizations to include Montessori accreditation bodies. This will create an easier path to Texas Rising Star certification should the tribe decide to pursue licensure, state subsidy and Texas Rising Star certification for their center in the future. TWC and Workforce Solutions Borderplex will continue meet with the Tribal CCDF Administrator regularly. During TWC’s visit with Alabama-Coushatta, tribal leadership expressed interest in opportunities to partner with the state to better serve tribal children. Further discussions are needed as we explore this option. TWC and Workforce Solutions Borderplex will continue to meet with the Tribal CCDF Administrator regularly. TWC and each Tribal CCDF Administrator have committed to quarterly meetings with the Office of Child Care, Tribal Capacity Building Center, and State Capacity Building Center. TWC is pleased to further its relationships with each tribe and to identify more opportunities for coordination and collaboration. [ ] Not applicable. Check here if there are no Indian Tribes and/or Tribal organizations in the State/Territory. c. State/Territory agency(ies) responsible for programs for children with disabilities, including early intervention programs authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: A TWC CC&EL Division representative is a member of the ECI Advisory Committee and works with ECI to give parents and providers information on state resources available for developmental screenings and other services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. ECI and TEA’s Preschool Special Education program are also represented on the TELC. TWC is currently working with ECI to provide training for child care providers on child development, assessments, and strategies to support inclusion of infants and toddlers with special needs within their programs. ECI is also represented on the TELC and the ECIA Workgroup, a group of leaders from five state agencies serving young children to support coordination and collaboration among the agencies. Boards coordinate with local early childhood programs and ECI service providers to offer ECI services at child care facilities and conduct conferences and trainings for providers and parents about services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: A TWC CC&EL Division representative sat on the THSSCO Advisory Board to support the development and activities of the annual needs assessment and strategic plan. The THSSCO Advisory Board disbanded in Fall 2023. THSSCO is also represented on the TELC. In January 2021, TWC added §809.22 to the CCS rules to facilitate greater coordination between child care and HS/EHS services and ensure full-day care for children enrolled in these programs. This section requires Boards to enroll eligible children in the CCS program who are also enrolled in and referred by a HS/EHS program. These children are also exempt from the Board’s waiting list. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The DSHS operates under the HHSC enterprise. DSHS is represented on the TELC and the ECIA Workgroup, a group of leaders from five state agencies serving young children to support coordination and collaboration among the agencies. The Maternal and Child Health Unit at DSHS leads Help Me Grow (HMG) Texas. The HMG model helps states and communities leverage existing resources. With the model, communities can identify vulnerable children; link families to community-based services; and empower families to support their child’s optimal development. As the lead fiscal agency for the PDG B-5, TWC coordinates with DSHS to support communities implementing or preparing to implement the HMG system model. TWC staff connect these communities to their local Boards and help them understand how CCS fit into the HMG model. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC is the state agency responsible for employment services and workforce development. The CC&EL Division director meets weekly with directors from other TWC divisions. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TEA is represented on the TELC and the ECIA Workgroup, a group of leaders from five state agencies serving young children to support coordination and collaboration among the agencies. Public Education Information Management System Numbers Texas Labor Code §302.0043(c-1) requires TWC to coordinate with TEA to assign unique Public Education Information Management System numbers to children younger than six years of age who are enrolled in the TWC CCS program. This will allow for longitudinal analysis of information on children who receive subsidies by bridging their participation in early childhood programs to their participation in public education. TWC collaborated with TEA to develop an automated interface and began assigning numbers to children under six years of age enrolled in subsidized child care on September 1, 2020. With the functionality in place, TWC and TEA will develop a plan to analyze and share this cross-agency data. ECDataWorks and TXR3 In 2018, TWC partnered with TEA to participate in ECDataWorks, a multiyear project supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and facilitated by the University of Pennsylvania’s Consortium for Policy Research in Education in collaboration with leading experts in the field. The ECDataWorks project team works in a collaborative, outcome- driven manner to conceptualize and develop tools to facilitate the organization, delivery, and strategic use of existing early childhood data. The web-based analytic tool Texas Ready Communities, Ready Schools, and Ready Students (TXR3) helps decision-makers visualize how well public school Pre-K, kindergarten, and Texas Rising Star programs are prepared to educate children. TXR3 provides insight into the professional development needs of communities and schools as equal partners in collaboratively educating and preparing children. Prekindergarten Partnerships TWC supports the development of partnerships between child care providers and public school Pre-K programs. Developing partnerships between child care providers and public school Pre-K programs is an important strategy used to improve school-readiness, support families, and strengthen the early childhood education workforce through TWC’s CCS program. In January 2021, TWC added §809.22 to the CCS rules to facilitate greater coordination between child care and Pre-K services and ensure full-day care for children enrolled in these programs. The rule requires Boards to enroll eligible children in the CCS program who are also enrolled in and referred by a PKP or LEA. State law also requires coordination between TWC and TEA to support PKPs. Texas Labor Code §302.00436 requires each Board to inform the local school districts and open- enrollment charter schools in the workforce area regarding opportunities to partner with child care providers to expand access to and provide facilities for Pre-K programs. TWC supports Boards with sharing this information. HB 1615 (adding Texas Labor Code §302.0051) passed in May 2023 and formalizes the PKP that TWC began with stimulus funding in 2021. TWC’s PKP Specialists aim to increase the number of children enrolled in PKPs by generating interest and increasing the number of partnerships between child care providers and LEAs such as school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. PKP Specialists support the development of PKPs throughout the state by informing and engaging potential partners; supporting child care providers and LEAs during negotiations; identifying partnership models that best meet the unique needs of the programs and families; coordinating efforts with stakeholders; and capacity building and systems development for the sustainability of partnerships. TWC gives eligible child care providers a one-time award of $25,000 for each new PKP classroom. Child care providers can use the funding to assist with the costs associated with the new partnership classroom, including teacher compensation, instructional materials, classroom furniture, and equipment. Providers are eligible to apply for the funding if they are Texas Rising Star Three- or Four-Star certified, have an executed Memorandum of Understanding indicating a partnership with a school district or charter school with dually enrolled children, and have at least one new three- or four- year- old PKP classroom. TWC has awarded providers approximately $2 million for the 2023-2024 school year and continues to accept applications for the upcoming school year. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: HHSC’s CCR division is represented on the TELC and the ECIA Workgroup, which is a group of leaders from five state agencies that serve young children to support coordination and collaboration among the agencies. TWC works closely with HHSC’s CCR division to ensure that child care providers serving children participating in the CCS program meet the health and safety requirements of the CCDF Final rule. In addition to meeting with CCR representatives in several interagency groups and monthly Region VI meetings, TWC seeks input from CCR on Texas Rising Star reviews, the effects of natural disasters and COVID-19, and other issues that arise. In 2022, TWC invested over $11 million of stimulus funding to support CCR with computer system enhancements and to support five Child Care Navigator positions. The system enhancements include improvements to the Search Texas Child Care website to enhance its value to Texas families. These improvements also require changes to CCR’s CLASS system, data exchange processes with TWC, and new data exchanges with TEA. The improvements will modernize the technology, make the site more mobile friendly, and will include several system enhancements. The CCR Navigators are strategically placed in different parts of the state to help support new child care providers build and sustain their child care business. The Navigators partner with new child care applicants, assist them through the application process, provide them with available resources in their community or region, and connect them with their CCR representatives. TWC and CCR share data on all regulated child care providers. TWC will continue to work closely with CCR to support child care providers and parents seeking CCS. i. State/Territory agency responsible for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and other relevant nutrition programs. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC coordinates with the Texas TDA, which is the agency responsible for CACFP, to participate in efforts to address children's health and nutrition. TWC coordinated with TDA and TWC’s business coaching contractor to develop a guide for child care businesses interested in starting the CACFP. j. McKinney-Vento State coordinators for homeless education and other agencies providing services for children experiencing homelessness and, to the extent practicable, local McKinney-Vento liaisons. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC works with the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs to coordinate services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. TEA’s State McKinney-Vento Coordinator and a representative of TWC’s CC&EL Division serve together on the ECI State Advisory Council. Boards coordinate with local homeless shelters and organizations serving homeless families. Boards also work with ISDs to identify and provide outreach to homeless children served by public schools. This coordination is in conjunction with workforce services to homeless families through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. During this plan period, TWC will work with the ECI Workgroup to enhance the earlychildhood.texas.gov website to provide information and resources specially geared to families experiencing homelessness that have young children. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC and the Boards administer the Choices employment program for TANF recipients. Boards prioritize child care subsidies for parents who are receiving TANF as well as participating in Choices. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC works extensively with HHSC, the agency responsible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Medicaid program. Boards also provide customers with referrals to these programs. m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TWC coordinates with HHSC, DFPS, and DSHS, which are the agencies responsible for addressing children's mental health issues. Representatives from these agencies serve together on the TELC, and ECIA Workgroup. TWC also collaborates with these agencies on PDG B-5 funded projects to support infant and early childhood mental health. Boards provide customers with referrals to local mental health programs. n. Child care resource and referral agencies, child care consumer education organizations, and providers of early childhood education training and professional development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Boards and their child care contractors provide many child care resource and referral services. Boards may contract with local resource and referral organizations and providers of early childhood education training and professional development. o. Statewide afterschool network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: TXPOST participated in TWC’s Texas Rising Star four-year review Workgroup. TWC is collaborating with the TXPOST to discuss its needs for school-aged children outside the classroom. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: On December 7, 2020, TWC met with representatives from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, DSHS, and CCR to review and update the state's Child Care Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, TWC worked closely with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to address the needs of the child care industry, including distribution of cleaning and PPE supplies. q. The following are examples of optional partners a Lead Agency might coordinate with to provide services. Check which optional partners the Lead Agency coordinates with and describe the coordination and results of the coordination. i. [ ] State/Territory/local agencies with Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grants. Describe: ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: TWC works with CLI at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to coordinate training opportunities. TWC meets quarterly with several IHEs, including community colleges, during TELC meetings. TWC works with Rice University’s Texas Policy Lab to analyze administrative and demographic data related to key policy questions. TWC is also using PDG B-5 funding to work with two-year and four-year institutions to develop effective articulation or transfer agreements that recognize students’ prior learning. These pathways may include credit for work experience or based on competency evaluations to help current early childhood professionals reduce the number of college classes they need to take, the time they have to dedicate to classwork, and the cost required to earn their degree. TWC is working with Dallas College to conduct an Early Childhood Education Teacher Pipeline Project. Dallas College is designing and developing an online competency-based assessment, the Texas Core Curriculum that is geared toward the early childhood education workforce. Newly recognized industry credentials will be awarded to approximately 500 early childhood educators employed in Texas Rising Star rated centers. After the initial group of students earn their credentials, Dallas College will enroll additional early childhood educators employed in Texas Rising Star-certified centers who will work toward the industry recognized credentials. Students that successfully complete each semester will be eligible for tuition waivers and scholarships to cover the standard per semester credit hour tuition. The materials developed under TWC funding will be open sourced and accessible to other institutions across Texas. Dallas College will also develop a comprehensive early childhood workforce data system. iii. [x] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: TWC is a member of the ECI Advisory Committee. ECI is a statewide program for families with children from birth to three years old who have disabilities and developmental delays. ECI provides support to families to help their children reach their potential through developmental services. TWC is partnering with ECI to provide training on developmental learning strategies, early brain development, and inclusion of children with disabilities to child care providers; training and supporting child care providers on screening for developmental delays; and building the capacity of ECI personnel to support social-emotional wellness. iv. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: Effective September 1, 2024, DFPS PEI is moving from DFPS to HHSC as FSS. PEI/FSS represented on the TELC and ECIA Workgroup, a group of leaders from five state agencies serving young children to support coordination and collaboration among the agencies. HHSC’s FSS oversees the Texas Home Visiting program. FSS is a member of the TELC and ECIA Workgroup. In addition, Boards coordinate services with local Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grantees to identify potential families who may benefit from the program. TWC uses PDG B-5 funding to partner with FSS to provide Early Childhood Systems Building grants to their existing Healthy Outcomes through Prevention & Early Support and MIECHV grantees. These grants allow community coalitions to: Implement, or work towards the implementation of, the HMG Systems Model; Conduct family and community outreach; Establish or enhance a central intake and referral system; Conduct health care provider outreach; perform data collection and analysis; Create, maintain, or expand an existing Family Resource Center, including hiring a parent navigator; Implement the National Family Support Network’s Standards of Quality professional development opportunities to increase family engagement and leadership; and Implement Parent Cafes to facilitate peer-to-peer conversation to promote awareness and strengthening within families, develop parent connection, build community, and engage parents as partners in initiatives, programs, and services. v. [ ] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: TWC works with DFPS to fund child care services for children in protective care. Boards also coordinate with local DFPS offices to authorize care for children needing protective services. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: TWC regularly meets with child care providers who are members of TELC and the Texas Rising Star four-year review workgroup. In February 2024, TWC hosted five in-person stakeholder meetings and one virtual stakeholder meeting to invite child care providers and other early childhood stakeholders to provide input on the 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan. Approximately 340 stakeholders, including several representing provider groups, participated in these meetings. Providers were also encouraged to take the Stakeholder Survey in January 2024. This input informs TWC’s decisions on program policies and investments. In total, 2,750 providers participated in the Stakeholder Survey, with 603 (22 percent) of providers self-identifying as representing a child care home. TWC will continue to meet with groups of child care providers periodically. viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: TWC leverages existing parent advisory councils with partner agencies to seek input on the CCDF program. In February 2024, TWC hosted five in person stakeholder meetings and one virtual stakeholder meeting to invite parents, child care providers and other early childhood stakeholders to provide input on the 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan. Parents were also encouraged to take the Stakeholder Survey in January 2024. This input informs TWC’s decisions on program policies and investments. In total, 2,193 parents participated in the Stakeholder Survey, with 1,236 (56 percent) self- identifying as receiving child care subsidies or having received them in the past. ix. [ ] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: x. [x] Other. Describe: TWC regularly meets with organizations that advocate for children, families, and child care providers. Several of these groups, including Texans Care for Children, TXAEYC, and Children at Risk, are members of TELC and/or the Texas Rising Star four-year review workgroup. In February 2024, TWC hosted five in-person stakeholder meetings and one virtual stakeholder meeting to invite parents, child care providers and other early childhood stakeholders to solicit their input on the 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan. Parents were also encouraged to take the Stakeholder Survey in January 2024. This input informs TWC’s decisions on program policies and investments. In total, 538 early childhood care and education stakeholders, who did not identify as parents or child care providers, participated in the Stakeholder Survey.