SAN ANTONIO — The clock is ticking for child care centers across Texas.
350 facilities in the San Antonio area could lose critical funding if they don't earn a Texas Rising Star certification.
This could be detrimental to low-income families who rely on this money to afford child care.
While the Texas Rising Star certification isn't new, the mandate for centers to have it is.
Any facility that receives child care subsidies must get certified by October 2024.
The work to make that happen is underway, with the help of a new partnership that's serving as a model for other communities.
"I've talked to center owners that have said once this is enacted, they're going to close their center. They serve upwards of 200 children," said Tylane Barnes, CEO and Director of Converse Christian School and Early Learning Center.
Converse Christian School and Early Learning Center serves 109 students, ranging from two months to 12 years old. The majority of the children count on financial help to access a quality learning environment.
"Right now, we have about 70% of our kids receive childcare subsidy, 20% receive subsidy from the military and I only have 10% that are private paid parents," said Barnes.
Converse Christian School and Early Learning Center has earned a Texas Rising Star certification for the fifth year. The certification is earned by meeting certain criteria, such as teacher training requirements, curriculum, learning environments, teacher-child interactions and licensing.
"We have students that were here when I started that are in GT classes in high school, and I know that's a testament to the foundation that they had when they were one and two years old," Barnes explained.
Laying that foundation for success is the driving force behind the mandate put into place by the Texas Workforce Commission in 2022.
"Now it's at a state level where we're saying our children deserve the best learning environment, deserve the best start for the rest of their lives," said Liza Gomez, Vice President, of the Ready Children Impact Council for United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. "Even at six weeks old, our babies need a curriculum to help them develop. 90% of the brain is developed before the age of five."
Depending on the center, it could take months to be Texas Rising Star-certified. Each facility has the ability to get unique and individualized coaching to prepare them for the state assessor's evaluation.
"Only 33% of child care centers that receive this funding have the Texas Rising Star certification," Gomez explained. "That means 67% of centers in Bexar County are at risk of losing that funding."
Through a new partnership between Workforce Solutions Alamo, Region 20 and United Way called "Alamo Quality Pathway", mentors and coaches will guide these child care centers every step of the way to ensure they meet the deadline. This partnership, leaders say, is serving as the blueprint for other Texas communities eager to help their child care community.
"I think the fear is valid, but there are resources out there through your Texas Rising Star mentor, through United Way that will literally hold your hand through the process," said Barnes, who also helps other child care facilities meet standards to qualify for Texas Rising Star. "I, too, was scared. I didn't want to change."
Child care facilities can get started on the certification process by reaching out to their previously assigned Texas Rising Star mentor.
If you're a family looking for affordable, quality child care, you can reach out to United Way's 24/7 helpline by dialing 2-1-1. Help is also available in Spanish.