BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1615

By: Button

International Relations & Economic Development

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised about missed opportunities and the underutilization of public-private prekindergarten partnerships. Public-private prekindergarten partnerships are collaborations between local education agencies and private child-care or Head Start programs. Local education agencies and private child-care programs may establish partnerships based on enrollment and development activities. The partnerships are developed to reflect the needs of children and families, local resources available, and community trends. Public-private prekindergarten partnerships offer collaborative opportunities and can help meet the demands of providing quality prekindergarten opportunities in an efficient and effective way. However, some districts that could better serve their communities with a partnership do not use this option because of a lack of knowledge about how to proceed, lack of qualified educators, and various other obstacles. C.S.H.B. 1615 seeks to remove obstacles preventing the execution of public-private prekindergarten partnerships by authorizing the Texas Workforce Commission to establish and administer a prekindergarten partnership program to assist eligible providers in partnering with local public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide free prekindergarten classes. The bill also establishes a professional development scholarship program for current and prospective child-care workers.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1615 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish and administer a prekindergarten partnership program to assist child-care providers who are eligible private providers under the high quality prekindergarten program in partnering with local public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide free prekindergarten classes. The bill requires TWC, using existing funds, to coordinate with the Texas Education Agency to develop joint strategies to expand the availability of prekindergarten partnership programs.

C.S.H.B. 1615 requires TWC to establish and administer a professional development scholarship program for current and prospective child-care workers from funds appropriated for such a purpose. A scholarship under the program may be used to pay an individual's costs related to participation in a registered child-care apprenticeship program and to earning a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an associate's or bachelor's degree in early childhood education or another related field from a public or private institution of higher education. The program may be used to pay for other ancillary costs, including costs identified in the bill, for child-care workers who are enrolled in an educational program or such an apprenticeship program.

C.S.H.B. 1615 amends the Government Code to include a representative of the child-care workforce on a local workforce development board created under the Workforce Investment Act.

C.S.H.B. 1615 repeals Section 2308.256(g), Government Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1615 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

While both the introduced and the substitute require TWC to establish and administer a partnership program to assist certain providers in partnering with local public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide free prekindergarten classes, the substitute requires TWC to establish and administer the program to assist child-care providers instead of the Texas Rising Star program providers included in the introduced.

While both the introduced and substitute require TWC to coordinate with the Texas Education Agency to develop joint strategies to expand the availability of prekindergarten partnership programs the substitute does not include the specified means, which were included in the introduced, by which those agencies develop the strategies.