AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The purpose of this legislation is to specify exactly who may provide the training required for all employees and operators of child-care providers in Texas.
Current law requires each employee of a private child-care center who has no previous training or employment experience in a regulated child-care facility to complete eight hours of initial training before the employee is given responsibility for a group of children.
In addition to the eight hours of initial training, employees must complete 15 hours of annual training, which must include at least six hours of training in one or more of certain areas, including child growth and development, guidance and discipline, age-appropriate curriculum, or teacher-child interaction.
Operators of child-care centers must complete 20 hours of annual training, which must include at least six hours of training in one or more of the same areas listed above.
The problem with the current law is that there are no restrictions regarding who may provide training to child-care employees or operators.
This bill requires child-care employees and operators to receive the required training only from knowledgeable individuals with relevant expertise.
As proposed, S.B. 265 amends current law relating to training for employees and operators of certain child-care facilities.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.0421, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsections (f) and (g), as follows:
(f) Requires that the training required by this section be appropriately targeted and relevant to the age of the children who will receive care from the individual receiving training and be provided by a person who:
(1) is a training provider registered with the Texas Early Care and Education Career Development System's Texas Trainer Registry that is maintained by the Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office;
(2) is an instructor at a public or private secondary school or at a public or private institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.801 (Definitions), Education Code, who teaches early childhood development or another relevant course, as determined by rules adopted by the commissioner of education and the commissioner of higher education;
(3) is an employee of a state agency with relevant expertise;
(4) is a physician, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, social worker, or registered nurse;
(5) holds a generally recognized credential or possesses documented knowledge relevant to the training the person will provide;
(6) is a registered family home care provider or director of a day-care center or group day-care home in good standing with the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), if applicable, and who has demonstrated core knowledge in child development and caregiving, and is only providing training at the home or center in which the provider or director and the person receiving training are employed; or
(7) has at least two years of experience working in child development, a child development program, early childhood education, a childhood education program, or a Head Start or Early Head Start program and has been awarded a child development associate (CDA) credential, or holds at least an associate's degree in child development, early childhood education, or a related field.
(g) Authorizes a person described by Subsection (f)(6) to provide training under this section only if DFPS has not taken an action under Section 42.071 (Suspension, Evaluation, or Probation of License or Registration), 42.072 (License, Listing, or Registration Denial, Suspension, or Revocation), or 42.078 (Administrative Penalty), other than an evaluation, against the license, listing, or registration of the person or the home or center for which the person is a provider or director during the two-year period preceding the date on which the person provides the training.
SECTION 2. Effective date: January 1, 2012.