What is the Texas Rising Star Program?

The Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for child care programs that participate in the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) Child Care Services program. It offers a system of progressive certification levels (Two-Star, Three-Star, and Four-Star) based on meeting quality standards that exceed the state’s basic child care licensing requirements (note: there is a maximum amount of time a center can participate at the entry-level designation). Providers at each level receive enhanced reimbursement rates for children from low-income families with eligibility for child care assistance.

What is Texas Rising Star known for?

The TRS program (Texas Rising Star is sometimes referred to as Rising Star Texas) is recognized for improving the overall quality of child care and early childhood education in Texas. By defining clear standards and providing support for continuous quality improvement, TRS ensures that both child care center-based providers and home-based providers deliver higher-quality care. These standards include criteria for staff qualifications, child-teacher interactions, program administration, and learning environments, aiming to positively influence children’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. TRS-certified programs, which exceed the state’s minimum standards, play a key role in preparing children for success in school and life.

What are the benefits of participating in Texas Rising Star? 

Improved Learning Outcomes

TRS-certified child care centers deliver high-quality, structured early childhood education that goes beyond the state’s minimum requirements. These programs use age-appropriate curricula focused on essential developmental areas such as language, literacy, math, and social-emotional growth. Children attending pre-k TRS programs are better prepared for kindergarten and are more likely to succeed in the K-12 system due to their strong early learning foundations​.

Higher Financial Reimbursement for Providers

Child care providers that achieve TRS certification benefit from higher reimbursement rates through the Texas Workforce Commission’s subsidized child care program. Programs that receive Two-Star, Three-Star, or Four-Star certification levels are rewarded progressively, with increased financial incentives that can be used to enhance learning environments and invest in staff​.

Parental Engagement and Communication

TRS programs encourage strong communication between caregivers and parents, helping families stay actively involved in their child’s education. This partnership between parents and educators reinforces learning at home and boosts children’s academic and personal growth, supporting a collaborative approach to early childhood development​.

Educator Training and Professional Growth

A key component of TRS is the emphasis on continuous professional development for educators. Texas Rising Star certified providers are required to invest in early childhood professionals teacher training and staff qualifications, creating a culture of ongoing learning and improvement. This not only enhances the quality of care but also leads to greater staff retention and empowerment​.

Support for At-Risk Children

TRS programs are designed to improve access to high-quality child care, particularly for children from low-income or at-risk backgrounds. By setting higher standards and providing targeted financial support, TRS-certified programs ensure that these children receive the necessary resources to thrive academically and developmentally

What are the certification requirements for a childcare provider to become certified as a Texas Rising Star (i.e.: How to qualify for Rising Star?)

To achieve Texas Rising Star (TRS) certification, childcare providers must excel in four primary areas: staff qualifications and training, teacher-child interactions, program administration, and learning environments. TRS providers are expected to exceed the state’s minimum licensing standards, ensuring that their staff is well-trained and continuously improving their skills. Additionally, nurturing interactions between caregivers and children are crucial for promoting development.

Effective program administration involves strong family engagement and management practices, while the learning environment should be stimulating and safe for children. Providers are classified into Three certification levels—Two-Star, Three-Star, or Four-Star—based on their adherence to these standards, with higher ratings indicating a greater commitment to quality care.

How many hours is Texas Rising Star provider training?

For Texas Rising Star (TRS) certification, childcare providers are required to complete at least 30 hours of focused training. This training aims to equip providers with the necessary skills and knowledge to enhance early childhood education quality. Topics covered include child development principles, effective curriculum implementation, and strategies for fostering family engagement​.

Lillio and the Texas Rising Star Program

Lillio’s goal is to connect child care providers to the resources they need to achieve and exceed the Texas Rising Star certification at a Four-Star level. Lillio aids in the process of provider certification so that educators can focus less on paperwork and more on the children. Further, numerous child care facilities in other states, including Pennsylvania, already use the Lillio program to ensure the optimal quality of their service, with appropriate curriculum materials, communication sheets, detailed procedures and resources to help centers document their efforts. How your center chooses to use Lillio will vary based on the unique circumstances of your community, families, educators and attending children; however, we’ve provided some guidance on how we will assist your early childhood program in meeting the expectations set out by the foundations of the Texas Rising Star program.

Director and Staff Qualifications and Training

Providers must demonstrate that their staff and directors possess relevant qualifications and engage in continuous professional development. This includes staff training and education focused on early childhood development and child care practices.

How Lillio can help: We provide professional growth and development activities through numerous resources, including blog articles, ebooks, reports and more for leaders in early childhood education.

Caregiver-Child Interactions

High-quality interactions between caregivers and children are essential. Providers are assessed on how effectively their staff engage with children in ways that support emotional, social, and cognitive development​.

How Lillio can help: Staff performance can be easily evaluated through the Lillio performance evaluation template, while other centers choose to use the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® (CLASS).

Curriculum

Providers must use a developmentally appropriate curriculum that promotes learning across various domains such as language, literacy, math, and social-emotional skills. The curriculum should be designed to foster school readiness.

How Lillio can help: Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old early learning program guidelines are accessible directly through the Lillio app, which integrates with lesson planning, developmental observations, online portfolios, and development reports.

Indoor/Outdoor Environment (including health and safety)

TRS certification requires that providers maintain safe, engaging, and enriching environments, both indoors and outdoors. This includes appropriate space, materials, and safety protocols that support children’s physical and cognitive growth.

How Lillio can help: Lillio offers menu and activity planning resources that are available to teachers and directors to assist with learning and development.

Note: Documentation is imperative for the Texas Rising Star program, as it clearly demonstrates the child care facility’s qualifications in each category for the certification.

How do I find the closest Texas Rising Star child care center?

To find the Texas Rising Star program near you, a parent or caregiver can visit the TexasRisingStar.org website and then click to view 4-Star, 3-Star, and 2-Star providers. The list of TRS certified providers is updated on a monthly basis, however you can also confirm a program’s certification, by contacting your local workforce development board.

Lillio provides the all-in-one early education solution that childcare centers need. Reach out for a demo!