Offering Child Care Services

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) conducts a Market Rate Survey and issues a Cost of Quality Report annually. Market rates are estimated using survey data and TWC data from providers. Base rates are set at the higher of the 75th percentile of the local market rate, or at the baseline cost to meet minimum standards based on the Cost of Quality Report. The 75th percentile means that 75 percent of providers charge less than that rate, and 25 percent charge more.

View current and prior Market Rate Surveys and Cost of Quality Reports on the University of Texas at Austin Texas’s Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing School of Social Work’s Child Care Studies website.

CCS providers may be eligible for higher than base rates for:

• achieving a Texas Rising Star certification level
• offering care during nontraditional hours (after hours, on weekends, or both)
• serving children with disabilities who require specific accommodations (inclusion)

Regardless of the base rate and any eligible enhancements, providers whose published rate is below TWC’s rate, will be paid at the lower provider published rate. The published rate is the rate providers generally charge private pay families.

CCS providers are paid prospectively every two weeks. View the most current provider payment rates, payment schedule, and more on the CCS Forms for Providers webpage.

Providers must first submit a Texas Rising Star Interest Form and then sign a Provider Agreement with their Board to become a CCS provider. New CCS providers must also attend a program orientation. 

To apply to become a CCS provider, submit your Texas Rising Star Interest Form and reach out to your Local Workforce Solutions Office. 

CCS providers must comply with all terms in the Provider Agreement. These terms may include, but are not limited to, requiring providers to:

•    meet eligibility requirements (HHSC CCR minimum standards)
•    submit all required documentation
•    participate in the Texas Rising Star program
•    follow attendance reporting and tracking requirements
•    notify your Board of business-related changes within a specified number of days

Don’t forget-we want you to succeed. Your Local Workforce Solutions Office is here to support you and answer questions along the way. 

The CCS program is based on parent choice. Families may select any provider with an active agreement to accept CCS participants. Families can search for available child care spots at CCS providers in the Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C) Availability Portal. You can help families find and choose your program by keeping information about your available openings in the portal up to date. 

TX3C is the child care case management system for the CCS program. TX3C is made up of different modules:

• KinderBridge API: Application Programming Interface that allows providers to upload child attendance records to KinderConnect from providers’ third-party child care management systems.
• KinderConnect: attendance tracking for CCS children and secure communication portal used by providers, CCS caseworkers, and enrolled parents.
• KinderSign: tablet-based time/attendance app, used by child care providers for parents to record attendance.
• KinderSmart: optional smartphone app used by families to check children in/out of child care each day.
• KinderTrack: eligibility, enrollment, and payment calculation functionality used by CCS caseworkers.
• Parent Central: online portal where families can submit applications, recertification paperwork, and upload required documents.
• Provider Central: online portal where providers can enter information about their programs, including available slots, to help families who are looking for child care.

Providers who need resources and TX3C support can visit the support website.

We have updated the TX3C: KinderBridge API, the system that connects your app to TWC. Watch the TWC KinderBridge Update for Child Care Services (CCS) Providers video to learn how these changes help your program stay up to date with attendance rules.