Effective Friday, June 14, 2024 applications for Child Care Services Scholarships will not be available until Monday, July 1, 2024. For assistance or questions, contact Child Care Services at 1-877-223-0404.
On July 1, 2024, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will launch a new case management system for the Child Care Services program—Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C). Below is more information about upcoming changes to policies that will happen with the TX3C launch.
NEW STATEWIDE APPLICATION FOR PARENTS
TX3C will include an online statewide application for parents who are applying to the Child Care Services (CCS) program. The application is web-based and mobile device–friendly. Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) will continue to determine eligibility for CCS families, manage a waiting list, authorize services, and pay child care providers.
PARENT SHARE OF COST
TWC has approved a new calculation methodology for Parent Share of Cost (PSoC). The new methodology will be available at the time TX3C is launched.
Parent’s current PSoC will remain the same unless their income decreases or their family size changes. WSRCA will use the new methodology beginning with their next eligibility period. If parents have experienced a change in income or family size or have an extenuating financial situation, they may request a review of their PSoC before their recertification.
WHAT'S CHANGING?
- The new sliding fee scale for PSoC will be statewide.
- If families relocate to another area of the state and transfer care, their PSoC will remain the same until they recertify eligibility.
- The new scale will have more gradual increases for families with rising incomes between certification periods.
CHILD ATTENDANCE
A child’s regular attendance is imperative; WSRCA will continue to monitor attendance to ensure that funds go to the families that are most in need of services.
Payments to child care providers are not affected by a child’s occasional absences—payment is based on the child care authorized. However, a child’s eligibility may be affected if they are not consistently attending care.
WSRCA will use the new time and attendance features in TX3C to monitor attendance. Providers must ensure that parents record attendance directly in TX3C or through a child care management system that uploads CCS attendance data to TX3C and have the attendance system available to parents. More information about the attendance tracking system is available at https://tx3c.info.
PROVIDER PAYMENTS
Beginning in July 2024, WSRCA will pay licensed centers, licensed homes, and registered homes for authorized child care before care is provided (similar to private-paying families that pay tuition beforehand). The following are details on these prospective payments:
- Payments will cover two-week periods, Monday–Sunday; child care providers will be paid for the days that a child has been authorized to attend the program.
- If providers receive an overpayment for a child whose authorization changes or ends during a period for which payment has already been made, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area will adjust a future payment or require repayment of the overpayment.
- TX3C will determine each child’s age group for rates based on the first day of the two-week billing cycle. In other words, if a child has a birthday that places them in the next age group, the change will not be applied until the beginning of the next pay period.
TX3C will base the prospective payment on the provider’s location which will be based on the Board area where the facility is located, rather than the child’s residence. This change will ensure that payments reflect the market rates and costs where the provider operates.
EXPANDED AGE GROUPS
Provider payments will align with Child Care Regulation age groups. TX3C will support this change beginning on July 1, 2024. Providers will be able to designate rates for more age groups, as demonstrated in the following table.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For assistance or questions, contact Child Care Services at 1-877-223-0404.
- Parents: Select Option 5 when calling or email rcachildcareservices@ruralcapital.net
- Providers: Select Option 8 when calling or email providerservices@ruralcapital.net
