| (a) A regulated child care provider is eligible for
initial certification under the Texas Rising Star program if the provider
has a current agreement to serve Commission-subsidized children and:
(1) has a permanent (nonexpiring) license or registration
from CCR;
(2) has at least 12 months of licensing history with
CCR and does not exceed the points threshold for high and medium-high
CCR deficiencies within the most recent 6-month period as established
in the Texas Rising Star guidelines pursuant to §809.130(d)(4),
and is not on:
(A) corrective action with a Board pursuant to Subchapter
F of this chapter;
(B) a "Notice of Freeze" with the Commission pursuant
to Texas Labor Code, Chapter 213 (Enforcement of the Texas Unemployment
Compensation Act) or Chapter 61 (Payment of Wages); or
(C) corrective or adverse action with CCR;
(3) meets the criteria for star-level certification
in the Texas Rising Star guidelines pursuant to §809.130(d) of
this subchapter; and
(4) has at minimum, a center director account registered
in the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System Workforce
Registry; or
(5) is regulated by and in good standing with the United
States Military.
(b) Regulated child care providers not meeting the
Texas Rising Star certification requirements described in this subchapter
and established in the Texas Rising Star guidelines shall be initially
designated as Entry Level if the child care provider:
(1) is not on corrective or adverse action with CCR;
and
(2) does not exceed the points threshold for high and
medium-high CCR deficiencies within the most recent 6-month period
as established in the Texas Rising Star guidelines pursuant to §809.130(d)(4).
(c) A provider initially meeting the requirements in
subsection (b) of this section is eligible for mentoring services
through the Texas Rising Star program during the time periods described
in subsections (d) - (f) of this section.
(d) A provider shall be initially designated as Entry
Level for no more than 24 months unless approved for a waiver under
subsection (f) of this section.
(e) An Entry Level provider will be reviewed for Texas
Rising Star certification no later than the end of the 12th month
of the 24-month period. Beginning on the 18th month, an Entry Level
provider will be reviewed monthly for Texas Rising Star certification,
and if it is determined that they will not be eligible by the end
of their 24-month timeframe based on the 6-month licensing review
time period (as described in subsection (a)(2) of this section), the
provider shall not receive referrals for new families as an Entry
Level provider, unless the provider is located in a child care desert
or serves an underserved population and is approved by the Agency
to accept new family referrals.
(f) The Agency may approve a waiver to extend the time
limit under subsection (d) of this section if the provider is:
(1) located in a child care desert or serves an underserved
population as determined by the Agency;
(2) unable to meet the certification requirements due
to a federal or state declared emergency/disaster; or
(3) unable to meet the certification requirements due
to conditions that the Agency determines are outside the provider's
control.
(g) Waivers approved under subsection (f) of this section
shall not exceed a total of 36 months.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §809.131 adopted to be effective February 16, 2015, 40 TexReg 708; amended to be effective January 8, 2019, 44 TexReg 114; amended to be effective January 25, 2021, 46 TexReg 593; amended to be effective October 3, 2022, 47 TexReg 6437; amended to be effective July 29, 2024, 49 TexReg 5540 |
