March is the moment for building momentum. Across the state, Texas PN-3 Collaborative partners are turning their shared learnings into actionable recommendations, lifting up what families and providers are experiencing right now and using it to shape stronger systems. As the Sunset review process continues, it encourages renewed focus on how state agencies serve families. Together, our work remains centered on one goal: making Texas the best place to be born and raise a family.
Resources From Our Q1 2026 Open Meeting
On February 25, Texas PN-3 partners gathered for the first Open Meeting of 2026. This conversation focused on sharing updates on state and federal policy developments, the Texas Sunset Review process, family financial security, strategies to better connect families to resources, and PN-3’s recommendations to improve access to quality child care and ensure that Texas is truly the best place to grow up and for families to live.
You can click here for the meeting notes, click here to see the slide deck, or watch the recording here. Below are the resources shared by partners during this meeting.
Explore Texas PN-3’s Collaboratives recommendations for the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.
See updates posted by the Sunset Advisory Commission on their website.
One of our attendees shared a free opportunity to engage in systems-building work with Help Me Grow North Texas.
Read C@R’s new report “Paving the Way to Quality: Analysis of Fiscal Investments of Child Care Quality Funds” and find data local to you.
Read C@R’s analysis of survey responses from Texas child care providers representing all LWDB’s across the state.
Recommendations for the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
Texas PN-3 Collaborative has engaged community members and stakeholders across the state to ensure the diverse needs of Texas families are addressed through this unique cycle. Together, we have selected three distinct strategies of policy recommendations for the Texas Sunset Commission to consider ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature.
Read Texas PN-3 Collaborative’s recommendations
Partner Recommendations
TEXANS CARE FOR CHILDREN
Sunset Input: Improving Efficiency at TWC Can Boost Access to Child Care
As a part of its regular review, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is currently analyzing the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) — including the state’s Child Care Services program. This program currently helps tens of thousands of parents go to work while their children attend high-quality child care, but there are opportunities to improve its impact. To ensure the program meets its intended outcomes, Texans Care for Children has developed targeted recommendations for the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission to consider that would streamline the governance of early childhood programs and remove persistent barriers that keep eligible families from enrolling.
TEXPROTECTS
Sunset Review Recommendations: A Texas-Sized Opportunity
TexProtects has spent the last few months gathering expertise from across the state to draft a set of recommendations for the Texas Sunset Review Commission that move our state away from reacting to crises and toward building community resilience. These recommendations are centered on refining existing systems that eliminate barriers and build connections through cross-sector collaborations that strengthens access to resources, cross-agency coordination that improves communication between state departments, and implementing proactive early-childhood mental well-being supports.
Recently
CHILDREN AT RISK
Community Voices & Local Research Informing Policy Recommendations
CHILDREN AT RISK has released two new research reports examining both provider experiences and Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) child care quality investments across Texas. Paving the Way to Quality explores investment trends across all 28 LWDB regions, while a separate analysis captures insights from more than 1,300 child care providers and stakeholders on the factors shaping the provider experience within state systems and regulations. Together, these publications highlight how local regions are supporting child care and where continued improvements can strengthen systems and better support Texas’ child care infrastructure.
Explore local data on LWDB investments of child care quality dollars
Hear directly from child care providers in this survey analysis
Get Involved
CHILDREN AT RISK
Registration Now Open for the Virtual Spring Texas Tour – 12 Regional Stops Through April 2026
Each fall, CHILDREN AT RISK visits 12 Texas communities to engage early childhood education advocates and stakeholders in conversations surrounding quality, challenges, and concerns. This year, in preparation for the Sunset Commission process, they explored the questions around state agency collaboration, cross-agency improvements, efficacy of independent agencies, and improvements that could better support Texas’ child care workforce.
TexProtects
Registration Now Open for From Waco to the Capitol on April 29
TexProtects invites regional partners and stakeholders to From Waco to the Capitol. As Texas prepares for the 90th Legislative Session, this convening offers a critical opportunity for local service providers, partners and community leaders to examine the Sunset review process and discuss upcoming decisions impacting family support services. Participants will engage in facilitated discussions to elevate local priorities and help inform Texprotects’ prevention-focused policy agenda.
RSVP today to engage on April 29
The PN-3 Collaborative is a partnership between CHILDREN AT RISK, TexProtects, and Texans Care for Children. We have partnered to lead a strategic state legislative agenda that aligns with and enhances efforts across the state to assure Texas infants, toddlers, and their families get off to the strongest start. CHILDREN AT RISK is managing administrative support for the PN-3 Collaborative.