Child care in San Antonio is facing a funding dilemma, with over one-third of centers affiliated with the Texas Workforce Commission's Child Care Services program at risk of losing state subsidies. These looming cuts, slated for September, could significantly reduce the number of available subsidized child care slots for families in need. For local parents, especially those who count on these subsidies to maintain employment, the impact could be dire.
The Texas legislature has upped the ante for child care centers seeking state funds, mandating that all must enroll in the Texas Rising Star program by September 30. This program stipulates higher quality standards than previously required. According to San Antonio Report, failure to meet these standards by the deadline could force centers to either hike up their prices, limit their services, or shut down altogether, which would resonate through the community, affecting many a family depending on this support.
Statistics from the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County reveal that 39% of San Antonio's licensed child care centers are not yet certified under the Texas Rising Star program. Directors like Kumari Tapiador of The Learning Tree Academy, who revealed to the San Antonio Report her wait for certification, fear that this gap in certification could displace numerous children, given the current high demand for child care slots.
Obtaining TRS certification is no quick fix, taking anywhere from three to 12 months; nonetheless, centers that have applied for certification will not lose funding during the interim. Kevin Femmel, spokesperson for the United Way, assures that "centers that have applied for the certification won’t have their funding taken away," as per an interview with San Antonio Report. Even with recent tax cuts for child care centers, those stuck in the lengthy certification process—and therefore working without the subsidy—stand on precarious ground.
Logistical challenges compound the issue; achieving a Texas Rising Star certification requires more robust staff-to-child ratios and other quality improvements. For centers where most children participate in subsidy programs, non-compliance isn't an option despite the financial and administrative burdens cited. "If these children are in a center that has decided not to do the Texas Rising Star, then they’re going to have to find one that does, and most centers now are fairly full," Tapiador stated as informed by San Antonio Report. Her own center, The Learning Tree, typifies the high demand with a months-long waitlist and a third of its capacity earmarked for child care program participants from the Texas Workforce Commission.
