Texas PN-3 Newsletter
Greetings PN-3 Collaborative,
It’s go time! With the legislative session kicking off, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and make sure Texas’ youngest children and their families are front and center in policy discussions. And we’re not doing it alone—this work is driven by all of us, working together with a shared commitment to creating lasting change.
Together, we have the opportunity to advocate for meaningful solutions that improve access to child care, strengthen family supports, and ensure every child has the chance to thrive. In this newsletter, you’ll find updates on our policy priorities, recent updates, and ways to get involved as we work toward a stronger, more equitable future for all families.
Let’s make this session count for #TXChildCare.
Recent Activities
RESOURCE | From Bills to Laws: Advocacy in Action
Every two years, Texas lawmakers convene for 140 days during the Legislative Session to make crucial budget decisions and update laws that affect all Texans. During this time, bills go through a series of steps, including being filed, discussed in committees, debated, amended, and voted on in both chambers of the Legislature. If a bill passes both the House and Senate, it is sent to the governor, who can sign it into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. While the process may seem complex, it offers multiple opportunities for public involvement and influence.
Click here to view a graphic outlining each step.
Click here to read the full resource.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES | Texas PN-3 Collaborative Releases Priorities for the 89th Texas Legislature
The Texas Prenatal-to-Three Collaborative has released its priorities for the 89th Legislative Session, focusing on policies that would expand access to quality child care, strengthen family resources, and ensure healthy beginnings for infants and toddlers across the state. These recommendations aim to give every child the strongest start possible and build a brighter future for Texas families. Read more.
SIGN-ON LETTER | Advocates Urge Texas Legislature to Invest in Updated Technology and Enrollment Systems
Over 60 Texas groups — including Texans Care for Children, TexProtects, CHILDREN AT RISK, and other PN-3 members — are urging the Legislature to bring the state’s Medicaid enrollment system into the 21st century. The groups recently delivered a letter to lawmakers urging them to support HHSC’s request to invest in overhauling outdated technology in the state’s enrollment system.
POLICY BRIEF | ECI Helps Toddlers with Disabilities Reach Developmental Goals
Research we conducted with multiple ECI providers during 2024 revealed a number of challenges in the program, including a shortfall between revenue for ECI and the actual expenditures. State funding per child for ECI has dropped by 38% since 2010 after accounting for inflation — and the Legislature has not updated Medicaid reimbursement rates for key ECI services since 2011.
Learn more from Texans Care for Children.
Recent Events
PN-3 OPEN MEETING
Thursday, January 16 | 10:00-11:30 AM CT
Mark your Calendar with an RSVP today! Our next PN-3 Collaborative meeting is on Thursday, January 16, from 10:00-11:30. We’ll hear from The Children’s Funding Project, review PN-3 Legislative Priorities, and consider what’s next for our collaborative.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, KNOW YOUR RESOURCES: A LEARNING SESSION FOR FAMILIES
Monday, January 27 | 6:00-7:15 PM CT
The PN-3 Parent Advisory Committee invites families and caregivers to a free virtual session on January 27, 6:00-7:15 PM. Tametria Conner Dantzler, CEO and Mom, and Dr. Edward Baffoe from Disability as an Ability Toward Success: Moms on the Move, will lead this discussion on disability rights, navigating special education services, and advocacy strategies.
ECE ADVOCACY DAY & RALLY
Thursday, March 6 | 10:00-11:00 AM CT
Children at Risk and the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children invite child care providers, early childhood advocates, families, business leaders, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to join Texas Legislators in highlighting the importance of quality, affordable child care for working families and the Texas economy. Join us on the South Steps of the Capitol on March 6th to make your voices heard!
This rally will review priorities and legislation filed to make early childhood education more accessible, support the child care workforce, and strengthen the Texas economy.