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S.B. No. 23
AN ACT
relating to subsidized child-care services and early childhood care
and education program coordination.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.1561, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The commissioner by rule may establish a program to
provide incentives to providers of early childhood care and
education programs that, to the greatest extent practicable,
provide coordinated services authorized under Section 29.158(c).
SECTION 2. Section 29.160, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to
read as follows:
(c) A school district, regional education service center,
institution of higher education, local government, local workforce
development board, or community organization may develop one or
more coordination-of-resources demonstration projects under which
government-funded child-care and early education services,
including Head Start and Early Head Start, prekindergarten, and
after-school child-care program services, child-care services
provided by nonprofit or for-profit entities, and faith-based
child-care programs, are operated in a coordinated and integrated
manner. An entity that develops a proposed demonstration project
under this subsection must obtain approval of the project from the
state agency or agencies with regulatory jurisdiction over the
subject matter involved in the project. Approval of a project under
this subsection must be made contingent on development of a
memorandum of understanding regarding the child-care and early
education coordination and integration that is:
(1) entered into by each entity participating in the
project;
(2) certified by the State Center for Early Childhood
Development as meeting any standards developed under Section
29.155(g); and
(3) consistent with the applicable provisions of this
section and applicable laws and regulations in a manner that at a
minimum maintains existing child-care and early education program
requirements and does not waive any existing health and safety
standards.
(c-1) The memorandum of understanding required under
Subsection (c) shall provide for:
(1) equal decision-making authority for entities
participating in the project;
(2) uniform eligibility criteria for the project to
the extent authorized by state and federal law;
(3) development of streamlined enrollment procedures
and simplified forms for children eligible for services under the
project;
(4) strategies for the colocation and management of
staff and for facilitation of effective communication among staff
members;
(5) alignment and coordination of program calendars;
(6) delineation of responsibilities for the provision
of instructional supplies and materials and food services;
(7) development and implementation of a system by
which eligible children are referred for services among the
participating entities in a manner that complies with applicable
laws and regulations;
(8) periodic meetings of the participating entities to
address concerns relating to the administration and operation of
the project; and
(9) periodic meetings of the participating entities to
address common standards for the professional development of
program staff and to create opportunities to ensure that local
communities have effective program staff.
(c-2) A demonstration project established under Subsection
(c) must include a program evaluation component that, in addition
to assessing child-care and early education outcomes for young
children, demonstrates:
(1) the extent to which program quality has been
enhanced;
(2) the extent to which the number of children being
served by full-day, full-year programs has increased;
(3) the extent to which professional development
training or activities engaged in by program staff has increased;
and
(4) that there has been no weakening of standards or
diminishment of services.
SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 29.161 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.161. SCHOOL READINESS CERTIFICATION SYSTEM.
(a) The State Center for Early Childhood Development, in
conjunction with the P-16 Council established under Section 61.077,
shall develop and adopt a school readiness certification system for
use in certifying the effectiveness of prekindergarten programs,
Head Start and Early Head Start programs, government-subsidized
child-care programs provided by nonprofit or for-profit entities,
government-subsidized faith-based child-care programs, and other
government-subsidized child-care programs in preparing children
for kindergarten. The system shall be made available on a voluntary
basis to program providers seeking to obtain certification as
evidence of the quality of the program provided.
(b) In developing and adopting the system, the center shall
seek the active participation of all interested stakeholders,
including parents and program providers.
(c) The system must:
(1) be reflective of research in the field of early
childhood care and education;
(2) be well-grounded in the cognitive, social, and
emotional development of young children; and
(3) apply a common set of criteria to each program
provider seeking certification, regardless of the type of program
or source of program funding.
SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 61.077, Education Code,
as amended by Chapters 61, 818, and 820, Acts of the 78th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, is reenacted and amended to
read as follows:
(a) The P-16 Council shall advise the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board and the State Board of Education in coordinating
postsecondary career and technology activities, career and
technology teacher education programs offered or proposed to be
offered in the colleges and universities of this state, and other
relevant matters, including those listed in Section 61.076. The
council, in conjunction with the State Center for Early Childhood
Development, shall also develop and adopt a school readiness
certification system as required by Section 29.161.
SECTION 5. The State Center for Early Childhood Development
shall adopt the school readiness certification system required by
Section 29.161, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
September 1, 2006.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 23 passed the Senate on
March 30, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2005, by the
following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 23 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 25, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor