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Program Goals:
The goal of Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC is to increase the number of professionally trained early care and education workers in Travis County.
The goal of Director TRAC is to improve the qualifications of Travis County child care directors, permitting directors to meet Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Minimum Standards and Texas Rising Star Director Standards through college credit coursework.
Program Funding:
This program is funded by the City of Austin, Travis County and Workforce Solutions. The program eligibility requirements are established by the funding sources with input from the Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC Advisory Committee. Other funders for the program are continually sought by the Child Development Department.
Program Eligibility for Teacher TRAC:
City and County Criteria:
Early care and education employees working and/or living in Austin and/or Travis County who have at least 3 months experience working in a child care setting directly with young children and earn a family income below 200 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPL) are eligible for Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC services funded by the City of Austin or Travis County.
Click here for the HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines table.
Priority enrollments for City and County:
Eligibility for first priority:
To be eligible for first priority applicants must be child care professionals working full-time (30 hours per week or more) who live and/or work fulltime in the City of Austin or Travis County with a family income below 200% of the FPL.
First enrollment option:
Students who meet the eligibility for first priority will then be enrolled based on the following list of priorities:
- Continuing Teacher TRAC participants;
- Teachers who work in a child care center enrolled in the Texas or Austin Rising Star System and who are working with a mentor;
- Teachers who work in a child care center enrolled in other Travis County or City of Austin funded projects;
- Teachers who work in a child care center in Austin or Travis County.
If funding permits, child care professionals working less than full-time (30 hours per week or less) who live and/or work in the City of Austin or Travis County with a family income below 200% of the FPL will be accepted into Teacher TRAC using the above enrollment options.
Workforce Solutions Child Care Services (CCS) Criteria:
Early care and education employees who work for Workforce Solutions CCS centers or family day homes or for QC3 Mentor Centers are eligible. Income eligibility requirements do not apply to students funded by Workforce Solutions CCS .
Priority enrollments for Workforce Solutions CCS:
First priority goes to students working for Workforce Solutions CCS Texas Rising Star Providers or QC3 Mentor Centers. Special initiatives may identify other priority enrollments.
Program Eligibility for Director TRAC
City and County Criteria:
Child care center directors working in or living in Austin and/or Travis County and who have at least 3 months experience as a director or assistant director are eligible for Director TRAC services. Director TRAC participants must meet the same income eligibility as Teacher TRAC participants. Client eligibility is documented on the Partnership Contract.
Eligibility for first priority:
To be eligible for first priority applicants must be child care directors or assistant directors working full-time (30 hours per week or more) who live and/or work fulltime in the City of Austin or Travis County with a family income below 200% of the FPL.
Priority enrollments for City and County:
First enrollment option:
Directors and Assistant Directors who meet the eligibility for first priority will then be enrolled based on the following list of priorities:
- Continuing Teacher TRAC participants have priority over new students. Current students will be grandfathered related to these new priorities.
- Directors and Assistant Directors who work in a child care center enrolled in the Texas or Austin Rising Star system and who are working with a mentor.
- Directors and Assistant Directors who work in a child care center enrolled in other Travis County or City of Austin funded project.
- Directors and Assistant Directors who work in a child care center in Austin or Travis County.
If funding permits, directors and assistant directors working less than full-time (29 hours per week or less) who live and/or work in the City of Austin or Travis County with a family income below 200% of the FPL will be accepted into Director TRAC using the above enrollment options.
Program Policies for Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC:
Grade of “C” or Better
Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in the course(s) they are enrolled in to continue to receive funding.
Grade of “D” or “F”
Students who earn a grade of “D” or “F” will not be eligible for continued Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC funding until they successfully complete their next course. The student must pay for the next class taken. A student may request reimbursement for tuition for the course if the course is in his or her Child Development Degree plan, completed with at “C” or above and not the same course in which the student earned a “D” or “F”. Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC will not pay tuition for the same class more than once. Reimbursements will be made as funding permits.
Withdrawal from a Course
If a student withdraws from a class after the deadline for full reimbursement, he or she will not be eligible for continued Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC funding until the successful completion of his or her next course. The student must pay for the next course taken. A student may request reimbursement for tuition for the course if the course is in his or her Child Development Degree plan, completed with at “C” or above and not the same course from which the student withdrew. Teacher TRAC will not pay tuition for the same class more than once. Reimbursements will be made as funding permits.
Students may submit a waiver request to the Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC Advisory Committee if there are extenuating circumstances.
Third Time Course Enrollment
Students enrolling in the same course for the third time must pay an additional fee of $60 per credit hour per Austin Community College’s policies for the “Rule of Three”. Teacher TRAC will not pay for this additional fee.
Out-of-State Tuition Costs
Teacher TRAC will not pay for Out-of-State tuition costs.
ACC Gmail
All ACC faculty and staff are instructed to communicate with students using their ACC Gmail account. Actively enrolled students are required to use their ACC Gmail account while communicating with ACC instructors and ACC staff. ACC will send important information to students at this account. Also, ACC will notify students of any college related emergencies using this account.
It is your responsibility to check your ACC Gmail on a regular basis since Teacher TRAC faculty and staff will email information about application holds, scholarships, textbooks, and orientations. If you don't wish to use the ACC Gmail web client to read your email, you can forward your ACC Gmail messages to another email address at your own risk, please contact the helpdesk for assistance with this, 223-HELP (223-4357)
Program Components:
Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC commits to provide:
- Tuition for one course per semester based on funding availability. This includes any required developmental courses.
- Books for classes are loaned to the student for use during the semester.
- Support and life skills coaching through the Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC coordinator and the ACC support services.
- Bonuses ($75 for the successful completion of the first course; $100 for every 12 credit hours successfully completed). Special one-time funding from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will increase the bonuses to $1000 for the completion of three courses or 12 credit hours for students working for Workforce Solutions CCS providers for courses taken between Fall 2009 – Fall 2010. Students are only eligible for one $1000 bonus.
- Scholarships are available for the $325 CDA assessment fee.
The student commits to:
- Successfully complete all course work with a grade of “C” or better
- Maintain a 2.0 grade-point average.
- Remain at the student's child care center for at least one year after completing the Teacher TRAC/Director TRAC project
- Meet with the Teacher TRAC coordinator as needed.
The sponsoring child care center commits to:
- Bonuses ($25 for the successful completion of the first course or a salary increase of 1-2% of his/her current wage; $50 for every 12 credit hours successfully completed or a salary increase of 2-4% of his/her current wage).
Please click here to go to Teacher Trac forms |
