Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1294 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission to establish the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.) pilot program to assist certain teachers in retaining employment in the field of child care. To be eligible to participate in the pilot program, a teacher must be employed in a child-care program that has an agreement with a local workforce development board to serve families receiving subsidized child care. The bill requires the commission to operate the program in at least three locations, including an urban community, a rural community, and a border community. The program must coordinate between the commission and local workforce development boards; obtain support from public and private sources, including participating employers; participate in the program's evaluation; and address scholarships, education, compensation, and retention for child-care teachers. The bill requires the commission to submit an annual report on the program's status and results to the governor and the legislature. The pilot program expires September 1, 2005.