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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a pilot program to provide school district |
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employees assistance with child-care services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22.012. CHILD-CARE SERVICES ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Child-care facility" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. |
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(2) "Pilot program" means the child-care services |
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assistance pilot program established under this section. |
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(b) The agency shall establish the child-care services |
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assistance pilot program to award grants to school districts to |
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provide child-care services for children of district employees. |
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(c) A grant awarded to a school district under the pilot |
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program may be used to: |
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(1) establish a child-care facility on district |
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property; |
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(2) contract with a child-care facility to provide |
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child-care services for children of district employees; or |
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(3) provide district employees with stipends to cover |
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all or part of the costs of child-care services. |
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(d) The agency shall: |
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(1) establish criteria for awarding grants to school |
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districts under the pilot program that include criteria based on: |
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(A) the availability of child-care facilities in |
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a district; |
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(B) the need for child-care services assistance |
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among district employees; and |
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(C) any other factor the agency determines is |
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necessary and relevant; and |
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(2) to the extent practicable, award grants to a |
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representative sample of school districts, including at least: |
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(A) one school district with a student enrollment |
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of 10,000 or more; |
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(B) one school district with a student enrollment |
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of at least 2,500 but less than 10,000; |
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(C) one school district with a student enrollment |
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of more than 1,000 but less than 2,500; and |
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(D) one school district with a student enrollment |
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of 1,000 or less. |
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(e) To receive a grant under the pilot program, a school |
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district must apply to the agency in the form and manner prescribed |
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by the agency. |
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(f) Not later than September 1, 2026, each school district |
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that received a grant under the pilot program shall submit to the |
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agency a report that includes: |
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(1) an itemized list of each item on which the district |
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spent the grant money; and |
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(2) an evaluation of the pilot program by district |
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employees who received child-care services or a stipend under the |
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pilot program. |
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(g) Not later than December 1, 2026, the agency shall submit |
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to the legislature a report on the effectiveness of the pilot |
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program, using data reported to the agency under Subsection (f), |
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and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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(h) This section expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |