What is Texas Rising Star?
The Texas Rising Star program is a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for child care programs participating in the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) Child Care Services program. Texas Rising Star certification is available to licensed centers and licensed and registered child care home facilities that meet the certification criteria.
The Texas Rising Star program offers three levels of quality certification (Two-Star, Three-Star, and Four-Star) to encourage child care and early learning programs to attain progressively higher levels of quality. These certification levels are tied to graduated enhanced payment rates for children receiving child care scholarships.
What is a Texas Rising Star-certified program?
A Texas Rising Star-certified program is an early learning program that has an agreement to provide Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)Child Care Services and meets requirements that exceed the State’s Child Care Regulation minimum standards, receiving a certification level of Two-, Three-, or Four-Star.
Is my child care and early learning program eligible to participate in Texas Rising Star?
Licensed centers, licensed home-based programs, registered home-based programs, and licensed school age programs are eligible to become Texas Rising Star certified if they meet certain eligibility criteria. Learn more about Texas Rising Star eligibility.
How can my child care and early learning program become to Texas Rising Star-certified?
If you would like to request to become a Texas Rising Star-certified program, please review the information on Getting Ready for Assessment. Then, begin your certification process by submitting your Interest Form.
How has the Texas Rising Star Guidelines evolved?
Over the last 40 years, Texas Rising Star has undergone numerous redevelopments and revisions. Throughout this process, many stakeholders participated in the redevelopment process for the revised Texas Rising Star Guidelines, as recently as 2023. Learn more about the history of Texas Rising Star.
What are the Texas Rising Star Certification Guidelines?
These Guidelines are used to assess and provide technical assistance to early learning programs pursuing Texas Rising Star certification. The Guidelines contain criteria for director and staff qualifications and training, teacher-child interactions, program administration, indoor/outdoor learning environments, and family involvement and education. Learn more about the Guidelines on the Texas Rising Star Guidelines tab.
Where can I find my Local Workforce Development Board?
Find your local workforce development board on this webpage.
My child care and early learning program is nationally accredited. Can my program be Texas Rising Star certified?
Yes, nationally accredited child care and early learning programs can participate in Texas Rising Star. Upon receipt of the assessment request and documents for certification, nationally accredited facilities will receive a modified initial assessment. All nationally accredited facilities are subject to Texas Rising Star requirements for CCR minimum standards and are required to comply with the procedures for the annual monitoring visit. Learn more on this webpage.
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
If you have questions about Texas Rising Star, please contact us! Your information will be sent to your local workforce board’s Texas Rising Star contact.