Understanding state-level resources of the early childhood system allows specialists to stay “plugged in” to what’s happening in Texas for infant-toddler programs. The Texas state resources that infant-toddler specialists will learn about fall into three general categories:
- Quality Rating and Improvement System for Child Care (Texas Rising Star)
- Data Systems and Professional Development Resources (CLI Engage and the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System)
- State Guidelines (Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines and the Texas Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners and Administrators)
Explore the tabs below and see which state organizations are impacting infant-toddler care.
Agrilife Childcare Training CoursesBooks Beginning at Birth CLI Engage First 3 yearsTexas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC)Texas Child Care RegulationTexas Core CompetenciesTexas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS)Texas Health and Human Services: Help Me Grow TexasTexas Hearing InstituteTexas Health Steps Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (ITELGs)Texas Rising Star
Agrilife Childcare Training Courses
Agrilife offers a wide range of online childcare training courses with certificates for workers looking to complete state-mandated training requirements, professional development, and CDA renewal requirements. Choose a course category below to start and complete courses at your own pace. Retrieve and print your course completion certificates at any time from your account. Free online childcare training with certificates is available.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Books Beginning at Birth
Books Beginning at Birth is a statewide program that provides young children and their families access to books and resources to support the development of early literacy skills and foster a love of reading. All families can access an open library of hundreds of high-quality digital children’s books accompanied by videos and at-home literacy activities. Once enrolled, children may receive FREE print books delivered to their homes twice a year until they turn 5.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.
CLI Engage
The CLI Engage platform includes numerous professional development courses and quality improvement tools to support infant and toddler programs. Supported by the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Education Agency, CLI Engage is a sophisticated online platform serving over 50,000 users across the state. As members of the Texas ITSN, specialists will be trained to use various quality improvement tools at no cost to specialists or the programs they serve.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.
First 3 Years
First 3 Years nurtures early relational and mental health of infants and toddlers in Texas. Working in deep collaboration with caregivers, parents, and professionals statewide, they cultivate strong early childhood systems, educate our workforce, and advance best practices. Their vision is that all infants and toddlers in TX spend their first three years in an ecosystem that supports the healthy development of their early mental and relational health.
Learn more clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC)
The Texas Association for the Education of Young Children is a professional membership association that works to increase access to high-quality early childhood education and to advance a diverse, well-prepared and well-compensated early childhood profession. With nearly 3,000 members and 20 local chapters, TXAEYC is the largest membership organization in Texas for early childhood professionals. It is committed to providing programs and services that equitably meet the needs of young children, their families, and early childhood professionals. They affiliate with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Southern Early Childhood Association, and the Associate Degree Early Childhood Teacher Educators.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Child Care Regulation
Texas Health and Human Services protects children by regulating and educating child care providers. Texas Child Care Regulation responsibilities include:
- Regulating all child-care operations and child-placing agencies to protect children’s health, safety, and well-being in care.
- Permitting and monitoring operations and agencies for compliance with state regulation standards, rules, and laws.
- Investigating complaints alleging violations of minimum standards in child care and residential child care operations.
- Informing parents and the public about child care, including how specific child care and residential child care operations are complying with minimum standards of care.
- Giving child-care providers technical assistance on meeting CCR minimum standards, rules, and laws.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Core Competencies
The Texas Core Competencies are the foundation of a professional development system. Core competencies refer to specific, basic concepts, skills, and abilities that early childhood professionals should learn, understand, and be able to demonstrate. In Texas, we have developed core competencies for the following groups: practitioners, administrators, trainers, and coaches/mentors, with the intent of providing guidance to professionals seeking training and for trainers seeking training topics.
Learn more by clicking the buttons below.
Download the Core Competencies Documents
Practitioners and Administrators
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is a statewide program within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for families with children from birth up to age 3 with developmental delays, disabilities, or certain medical diagnoses that may impact development. ECI services support families as they learn how to help their children grow and learn.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS)
The Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS) is a statewide program designed to meet the professional development needs of early childhood professionals. TECPDS was developed through a joint project of the Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office and the Texas Early Learning Council and is housed at the Children’s Learning Institute. TECPDS launched in 2013 and continues to expand and enhance professional development opportunities, resources, and tools for early childhood professionals.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.
Texas Health and Human Services: Help Me Grow Texas
In 2019, Texas began implementing the Help Me Grow (HMG) System Model. The model helps states and communities leverage existing resources. The model is made up of four core components that work together to promote optimal child development.
With the model, communities can:
- Identify vulnerable children
- Link families to community-based services;
- Empower families to support their child’s optimal development.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Hearing Institute
Texas Hearing Institute was founded in 1947 as a school for the deaf by four parents with the foresight to realize that children with hearing loss could learn to listen, speak, and communicate verbally at a level that would allow them to attend mainstream schools. Over time, the Houston School for the Deaf evolved to become the nationally renowned Texas Hearing Institute by continuously advancing our treatment methods to keep pace with technological advances so we can achieve optimal outcomes for our patients. We look forward to continuing our heartfelt mission for many more years to come.
They aim to identify childhood hearing loss as early as possible and provide families access to integrated medical, educational, and support services by understanding each child’s uniqueness and empowering them to achieve their best outcome.
Texas Hearing Institute serves children from infancy to age 21 and their parents. Texas Hearing Institute’s programs have four focus areas: the Audiology Department, Speech Therapy Services, the Melinda Webb School, and Support Services. Children come from over 419 ZIP codes and 44 counties, demonstrating the vital needs Texas Hearing Institute fulfills in our extended community.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the website.
Texas Health Steps
Texas Health Steps’ award-winning online program offers many courses and resources for primary care providers and other health professionals. Texas Health Steps puts current pediatric, adolescent, and maternal health topics at your fingertips. Take a moment to learn more about our free CE, targeted trainings, and helpful resources tailored to your needs.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.
Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (ITELGs)
The Texas Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (ITELGs) were created by the Texas Early Learning Council to help early childhood professionals and parents understand what very young Texans should know and be able to do at different points in their development. The guidelines have developmental information for children from birth to 48 months in four key domains (physical health and motor, social and emotional, language and communication, and cognitive) and caregiver strategies to support optimal development.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.
Texas Rising Star
Texas Rising Star is a quality rating and improvement system for Texas early childhood programs. All center-based and home-based child care providers in Texas can apply to participate in TRS if they meet specific eligibility criteria. Programs participating in TRS meet higher quality standards than many other child care programs. Participating in Texas Rising Star affords providers opportunities for increased reimbursement rates and access to professional development services.
Learn more by clicking the button below and viewing the page.