Consider and take appropriate action to approve modification to Interlocal Agreement No. 4600001072 with Worksource – Greater Austin Area Workforce Board DBA Workforce Solutions – Capital Area Workforce Board, for the provision of Child Care Scholarships. (Judge Brown & Commissioner Travillion)

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

On October 7, 2025, the Court approved Interlocal Agreement 4600001072 to fund the RTC Direct Care Scholarship program and expand access to affordable, quality full-time care for families with low incomes that have children ages zero (0) through three (3), and/or school age children needing part-time child care during afterschool and/or summer. On November 5, 2024, Travis County voters approved a 2.5 cent tax rate increase per $100 valuation to increase access to affordable and high-quality child care and afterschool/summer programming and related services for low-income families and develop and administer related workforce and economic development programs. On May 20, 2025, the Commissioners Court approved the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department to proceed with the short-term investment plan for the Voter Approved Child Care and Out of School Time Fund. The plan will 1) expand the number of child care and out of school time scholarships funded through Workforce Solutions; 2) expand existing contracts and services for HHS Early Childhood and Youth Development contracts that meet criteria; 3) negotiate Interlocal Agreements (ILAs) with School Districts with high number or percentage of economically disadvantaged students for child care and/or afterschool and summer services; 4) consider City of Austin interlocal agreements that could be used to expand childcare and afterschool care with providers; and 5) consider any mechanism to provide gap funding to make providers whole given the true cost of child care.