Child Care Licensing in Texas: 2025 Rule Changes Every Director Needs to Know - post

For childcare directors in Texas, maintaining compliance with state licensing regulations is paramount to ensuring the #safety and well-being of children, the smooth operation of their facilities, and the continued trust of families. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Child Care Regulation (CCR) periodically updates its rules and minimum standards. The period leading into and encompassing 2025 has seen several adopted amendments, repeals, and new rules that directors must be acutely aware of. 

Key Areas of Regulatory Updates Impacting Texas Childcare Directors in 2025

Based on recent adoptions and publications by HHSC and the Texas Register, several areas have undergone revisions or have new stipulations. Directors should pay close attention to the following:

• Administrator's Licensing: Significant updates have occurred within the rules governing child-care administrators and child-placing agency administrators. HHSC adopted amended and new rules for Administrator's Licensing, effective around February 2025.

  • Definitions and Roles: The rules clarify definitions for child-care administrators, licensed administrators, and the specific situations requiring a Child-Care Administrator's License. This is crucial for ensuring the correct personnel are in appropriately designated leadership roles.
  • Military Member, Spouse, or Veteran Provisions: An important update includes an expedited application process for administrator licenses for military members, their spouses, or veterans. Directors should be aware of these provisions if hiring or supporting individuals from military backgrounds.
  • General Residential Operations and Child-Placing Agencies: While some changes are specific to these types of operations, directors of all licensed childcare facilities should review any overarching changes to administrator qualifications and responsibilities that might indirectly affect their programs or collaborations.

• Criminal History Requirements: HHSC published the 2025 Criminal History Requirements Charts for public comment around January 2025. These charts are fundamental to the background check process for all staff and individuals with regular and unsupervised access to children.

  • Updated Charts: Directors must ensure they are using the most current criminal history charts and processes for conducting #background-checks and making hiring decisions. Failure to comply with these stringent requirements can have severe consequences.
  • Review and Implementation: It is vital to review these updated charts thoroughly and integrate any changes into the facility's hiring and staff management policies immediately upon their official adoption and effective date.

• Water Safety in Day Care Operations: New child care rules focusing on #water-safety in day care operations were adopted in September 2024. While adopted prior to 2025, their implementation and continued adherence are critical for 2025 operations.

  • Swimming Pools and Water Activities: These rules likely address requirements for on-site pools, wading pools, sprinklers, and any off-site water activities. This includes supervision ratios, lifeguard certifications (if applicable), barrier requirements, and #emergency- #preparedness related to water activities.
  • Policy Review: Directors must review and update their facility’s water safety policies and procedures to align with these specific Texas regulations, ensuring all staff are trained on these protocols.

• Provider Investigations in Residential Child Care: While specifically targeting residential child care, directors of day care centers should be aware of the broader emphasis on robust investigation processes. Changes in how HHSC handles investigations in one sector can sometimes inform approaches or expectations in others, particularly concerning child safety and responsive actions to allegations.

• Parent Rights and Director-Led Training: Rules related to parent rights and director-led training were adopted in August 2024.

  • Parent Communication and Access: These changes likely reinforce or clarify requirements around providing #parents with information about their rights, facility policies, and access to their children and program information.
  • Director-Led Training: This could pertain to specific training topics that directors are authorized or required to deliver to their staff, potentially streamlining some internal training processes while ensuring quality and compliance. Directors need to understand what training they can lead and the documentation required.

• General Operational and Compliance Impacts: Beyond specific rule numbers, broader impacts on operations and compliance are anticipated with these 2025 changes:

  • Updated Compliance Standards: Facilities will need to ensure their practices align with potentially enhanced safety protocols, updated staff-to-child ratios (if changed, though specific ratio changes weren't highlighted in the initial search for 2025), and facility requirements.
  • Certification and Training Updates: Existing staff certifications may need to be current, and potentially new or refreshed training may be necessary to meet revised standards. The standard 24 hours of annual training for providers (and potentially more for directors) remains a core requirement, and the content of this training should align with any new rules.
  • Documentation and Record-Keeping: As with any rule changes, meticulous documentation will be key to demonstrating compliance during HHSC inspections. This includes #staff-qualifications, training records, safety drills, and adherence to new administrator licensing rules.
  • Focus on Quality: The ongoing updates often reflect an increased emphasis on the overall quality of care, encouraging adoption of best practices in #early-childhood-education, including evidence-based curricula and effective child assessment tools.

Actionable Steps for Texas Childcare Directors

To effectively manage these changes and ensure ongoing compliance in 2025, directors should:

• Stay Officially Informed: Regularly visit the Texas HHSC Child Care Regulation website. This is the primary source for official announcements, updated minimum standards, technical assistance documents, and new rule publications. Subscribe to any newsletters or provider updates offered by HHSC.
• Review the Texas Administrative Code (TAC): Familiarize yourself with the relevant sections of 26 TAC, particularly Chapter 745 (Licensing), Chapter 746 (Centers), Chapter 747 (Homes), etc., as applicable to your operation. The Texas Register is the official source for proposed and adopted rule changes.
• Update Policies and Procedures: Revise your center’s operational handbook, policies, and procedures to reflect all new and amended rules. This includes administrator qualifications, hiring processes (especially criminal history checks), water safety plans, and parent communication protocols.
• Train Staff: Ensure all staff members, from lead #teachers to support staff, are trained on any new regulations that affect their roles and responsibilities. Document this training thoroughly. Director-led training should adhere to any new HHSC guidelines.
• Consult with Your Licensing Representative: Don't hesitate to reach out to your HHSC Child Care Regulation representative if you have questions or need clarification on any new rules or their implementation. They are a key resource for compliance assistance.
• Network with Other Directors: Engage with professional organizations and networks of childcare directors in Texas. Sharing information and best practices can be invaluable in navigating regulatory changes.
• Budget for Compliance: Some changes might have financial implications (e.g., facility modifications for water safety, updated training costs). Plan and budget accordingly.

The regulatory landscape for childcare in Texas is dynamic, driven by a commitment to child safety and quality #early-education. While staying abreast of these changes requires diligence, proactive directors who prioritize understanding and implementing new rules will not only ensure compliance but also contribute to a safer and more enriching environment for the children in their care. The 2025 rule changes, particularly around administrator licensing, criminal history, and specific safety protocols like water safety, demand immediate attention and action from every childcare director in Texas.

References:

• Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (n.d.). Child Care Home Provider News (and similar pages for centers). Retrieved from https://www.hhs.texas.gov/providers/child-care-regulation/become-a-provider/become-a-child-care-home-provider/child-care-home-provider-news (Note: This link is for home providers; similar news sections exist for centers or general CCR updates on the HHSC website).
• Texas Register. (2025, January 31). Volume: 50 Number: 5. (Specific rule adoptions often published here, as cited by TexHealthLaw.org). Abstract retrieved from https://tex #healthlaw.org/texas-register-january-31-2025-volume-50-number-5/
• ChildCareEd. (n.d.). Navigating Child Care Licensing in Texas: 2025 Changes and How to Stay Compliant. Retrieved from https://www.childcareed.com/a/navigating-child-care-licensing-in-texas-2025-changes-and-how-to-stay-compliant.html
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (n.d.). Child Care Regulation (Main Portal for CCR). (General reference, e.g., hhs.texas.gov/providers/child-care-regulation)
• Texas Administrative Code, Title 26, Part 1, Chapter 745 (Licensing) and other relevant chapters (e.g., Chapter 746 for Centers). (Official source for rules).

#early-childhood