East Texas Child Care Providers Participate in Texas Rising Star Training

Workforce Solutions East Texas - Texas Rising Star Program • November 1, 2022

Workforce Solutions East Texas Trains 110 Child Care Providers

Workforce Solutions East Texas has been diligently at work to train 110 East Texas child care providers in the Texas Rising Star program. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers Texas Rising Star, a quality rating and improvement system, for all providers participating in the TWC Child Care Services (CCS) program, which provides financial aid for child care to families needing assistance. Providers attain Texas Rising Star certification by meeting quality standards that exceed the state’s Child Care Regulation (CCR) minimum licensing standards and may qualify for a certification level of Two-Star, Three-Star, or Four-Star.


In September, TWC adopted rule changes, effective on October 3, 2022, to implement House Bill (HB) 2607, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2021. HB 2607 requires all child care providers in TWC’s CCS program to participate in the Texas Rising Star program. Child care providers that do not become Texas Rising Star-certified by the deadline of September 2024 cannot enroll families that receive CCS financial aid.


The East Texas region will have a total of 195 child care providers continuing in their Texas Rising Star certification once all training sessions are complete on November 16.



“Texas has one of the youngest populations in the nation, and creating a child care system focused on quality lays a foundation for lifelong learning,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “And is an important first step in creating a pipeline of talent for the future of Texas. 


As of June 2022, the TWC CCS program provided financial assistance for more than 125,000 children daily. Nearly 50 percent of the families in the program have selected a Texas Rising Star child care program to care for their children. TWC offers program statistics on the Child Care by the Numbers website.


“TWC-funded Child Care Services enable parents to work or attend school. Texas Rising Star guarantees that from the youngest age, children are receiving a high-quality education,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “For a state with an exciting future, we want to invest in our workforce as early as possible.”


For more information on TWC’s Texas Rising Star program or to apply, visit the Texas Rising Star website here.


By Workforce Solutions East Texas March 31, 2025
The Texas labor market continued to achieve record highs for both jobs and the civilian labor force in February. The state added 20,100 positions over the month to reach a total of 14,254,200 nonfarm jobs. Texas added 182,300 jobs from February 2024 to February 2025, bringing the annual nonfarm growth rate to 1.3 percent and outpacing the national growth rate by 0.1 percentage points. February marks 56 of 58 months of growth for Texas’ civilian labor force, which achieved another new record high of 15,770,300 after adding 19,500 people over the month. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force has added 334,800 people. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas registered at 4.1 percent. “With more than 20,000 jobs added the past month, Texas continues to see solid economic growth including the labor force,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “TWC supports this growth with strategic training programs designed to address the needs of employers and connect workers to successful career pathways.” The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities industry had the largest over-the-month increase in February after adding 7,400 jobs. In addition, Leisure and Hospitality added 6,000 jobs over the month and Construction added 5,200. The Financial Activities industry grew by 2.6 percent over the year in Texas and outperformed the industry’s growth rate nationally by 1.7 percentage points. “Continued labor market growth through February is fueling economic expansion across Texas, creating more opportunities for Texans to find meaningful employment and improve their quality of life,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “To ensure all segments of the Texas workforce can benefit from this growth, TWC remains committed to investing in essential resources like career training, vocational rehabilitation, child care, and adult education, empowering individuals to capitalize on these new opportunities and contribute to our state's continued prosperity.” The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.2 percent in February, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 3.3 percent and the San Angelo MSA at 3.4 percent. “Texas led all states with more than 182,000 jobs added over the year because Texas employers continue to generate new opportunities,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. “More Texans are working than at any point in the state’s history, and TWC can support employers by providing resources and an upskilled workforce to power their momentum.” Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. *All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com. The Texas Labor Market Information Data for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).
By Lindsay Vanderbilt March 17, 2025
The Texas labor market achieved new record highs for both jobs and the civilian labor force in January. The state added 27,900 positions over the month, reaching a total of 14,236,400 nonfarm jobs. Texas added 187,700 jobs from January 2024 to January 2025, bringing the annual nonfarm growth rate to 1.3 percent. January marks 55 of 57 months of growth for Texas’ civilian labor force, which achieved another new record high of 15,750,800 after adding 23,100 people over the month. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force has added 351,200 people. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas registered at 4.1 percent. “With more than 187,000 jobs added over the year, Texas’ continued growth shows the strength of the Texas economy,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Our commitment to a skilled workforce is essential to the state’s continued economic success.” The Private Education and Health Services industry had the largest over-the-month increase in January after adding 9,700 jobs. In addition, Professional and Business Services added 3,700 jobs over the month and Mining and Logging added 2,300. “New opportunities are emerging every day in Texas, and we must be prepared to seize them as a pathway to long-term growth,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor, Alberto Treviño III. “TWC recognizes that the needs of job seekers are diverse, and we offer a variety of programs to help Texans achieve their career goals.” The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.0 percent in January, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 3.1 percent and the San Angelo MSA at 3.3 percent. “Texas continues to attract new and expanding businesses across a wide range of industries,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. “We encourage employers to explore TWC programs like the Skills Development Fund, so they can develop their workforce to compete in a global market.” Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. * All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com . The Texas Labor Market Information Data for February is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).
By Workforce Solutions East Texas February 24, 2025
Workforce Solutions East Texas is seeking the public's input on its 5-year development plan to support regional economic growth and self-sufficiency by providing a first-class workforce for businesses and supporting the growth of local industries. The development plan outlines goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce and education services for youth and impaired individuals seeking employment. The Board will accept public comments for a 21-day period beginning February 24, 2025. Mission The mission of the Workforce Solutions East Texas Board is to improve the quality of life through economic development by providing a first-class workforce for present and future businesses. Vision Workforce Solutions East Texas has active economic development with a premier workforce attracting and supporting growth of businesses and industry. For public comments, please click here to contact Gary Allen.
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