Texas Quad Agency Child Care Initiative Holds Inaugural Meeting to Enhance Access and Quality

AUSTIN - Today the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) hosted the first meeting of the Texas Quad Agency Child Care Initiative (Quad Agency) Commission. The Quad Agency was established by the 89th Texas Legislature to enhance child care access, affordability, and quality by improving coordination among state agencies.

"This initiative marks a significant step forward in our collective commitment to supporting Texas families," said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza. "By bringing together these key agencies, we can work collaboratively to ensure child care providers have the support they need and Texas families have access to quality care."

Participating agencies include TWC, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The commission will focus on coordinating interagency initiatives to streamline regulations and help more Texas families gain access to quality, affordable child care.

"This collaboration will help remove barriers to help more Texas families access high quality child care and we look forward to working with our partner state agencies on this initiative," said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

Detailed information about the Quad Agency Child Care Initiative, including its mission, goals, and opportunities for public engagement, can be found on the Texas Workforce Commission website at twc.texas.gov/programs/child-care/quad-agency-child-care-initiative."This initiative is critical to ensuring that Texas day care operations can focus on keeping children healthy and safe, rather than dealing with conflicting regulations or unnecessary red tape," said HHSC Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer Jordan Dixon. "I look forward to working with my colleagues across these four agencies to improve the regulatory environment for day care providers and increase access to affordable, high-quality child care for Texas families."Quad Agency meetings are open to the public. For information about how to access meetings, visit TWC's website. Members of the public may submit input on existing or proposed regulations, rules, policies, or actions impacting the cost, quality, or accessibility of child care. Suggestions may be submitted to [email protected] and should include specific details, an explanation of the impact, and proposed solutions."DFPS is proud to work alongside our partner agencies in a unified effort to make safe, nurturing childcare available to Texas families," said DFPS Interim Deputy Commissioner of Programs Marta Talbert. "By sharing information, expertise, and resources, this initiative reflects our shared commitment to protecting children and promoting environments where they can learn, grow and thrive."Stay informed about upcoming meetings and reviews by subscribing to receive updates.