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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a work group to advise the Texas |
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Workforce Commission regarding the Texas Rising Star Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2308.321 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2308.321. TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM REVIEW WORK GROUP. |
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(a) The Texas Rising Star Program review work group is established |
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to propose revisions to the commission's rules on the Texas Rising |
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Star Program. |
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(b) The work group consists of the following members |
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appointed by the executive director of the commission: |
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(1) at least one member from the commission; |
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(2) at least one member from the Health and Human |
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Services Commission; |
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(3) at least one member from the early childhood |
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education division of the Texas Education Agency; |
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(4) at least one member from the governor's Texas Early |
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Learning Council; |
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(5) at least one member who is appointed to a local |
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workforce development board; |
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(6) at least four members who are Texas Rising Star |
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Program providers with different Texas Rising Star Program ratings: |
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(A) at least one of whom must be a for-profit |
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private provider; |
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(B) at least one of whom must be a single-site |
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provider; |
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(C) at least one of whom must be a multi-site |
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provider; and |
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(D) at least one of whom must be an individual who |
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provides child care in the provider's own home; |
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(7) at least one provider who is a Texas School Ready! |
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participant; |
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(8) at least three members employed by different |
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boards who work in the employing board's child-care program and |
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have experience and expertise in early childhood development or the |
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Texas Rising Star Program or other similar certification or |
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accreditation programs; and |
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(9) not more than three public members who are |
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ineligible for appointment to the work group under Subdivisions |
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(1)-(8) and whom the executive director considers indispensable to |
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work group purposes. |
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(c) The work group shall hold the group's initial meeting |
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not later than November 1, 2019, and shall meet at other times as |
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determined by the presiding officer. |
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(d) The work group shall elect a presiding officer by a vote |
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of the membership of the work group. |
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(e) Not later than May 1, 2020, the work group shall submit |
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to the executive director of the commission recommendations |
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proposing revisions to the commission's guidelines relating to the |
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Texas Rising Star Program. In making its recommendations, the work |
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group shall consider: |
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(1) professional development standards for child-care |
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directors and employees, including training and annual |
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professional development requirements; |
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(2) education and experience requirements for mentors |
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and evaluators; |
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(3) early learning and school readiness standards; |
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(4) guidelines for infants and toddlers in child care; |
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(5) minimum training hours for providers; |
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(6) playground standards, including outdoor learning |
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environments; |
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(7) nutrition standards; |
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(8) standards for use of technology in child care; |
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(9) best practices guidelines based on standards |
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adopted by nationally recognized organizations, including Head |
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Start Program Performance Standards, National Health and Safety |
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Performance Standards, National Association for the Education of |
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Young Children program standards and accreditation criteria, |
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National Association for Family Child Care standards, United States |
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Department of Defense standards, national accreditation standards, |
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and Texas School Ready! participant standards; |
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(10) research on infant and toddler brain development; |
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and |
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(11) strategies for the long-term financing of the |
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Texas Rising Star Program, including: |
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(A) financing the payment of: |
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(i) incentives to child-care providers |
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participating in the program; and |
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(ii) grants and rewards to child-care |
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providers that achieve and maintain high levels of service; and |
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(B) strategies to support wage parity for |
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child-care providers participating in the program. |
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(f) Not later than September 1, 2020, the commission shall |
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propose rules that incorporate the proposed revisions submitted by |
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the work group under Subsection (e). |
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(g) The executive director of the commission shall make the |
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appointments under this section on September 1, 2019. |
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(h) This section expires December 1, 2020. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |