Boards and the Agency's designated Texas Rising Star assessment entity shall ensure that Texas Rising Star staff members comply with their assigned responsibilities, as applicable.

1. (1) A mentor is defined as a Board or Board contract staff member who helps providers obtain, maintain, or achieve higher star levels of certification.
2. (2) An assessor is defined as a staff member or contractor of the Agency's designated Texas Rising Star assessment entity who assesses and monitors providers that obtain, maintain, and achieve higher levels of quality.
3. (3) Dual-role staff is defined as an individual meeting the definitions of a mentor and assessor under this section.
4. (4) For dual-role staff, the Board and the Agency's designated Texas Rising Star assessment entity shall ensure that the individual providing Texas Rising Star mentoring services to a provider does not act as the assessor of that same provider when determining Texas Rising Star certification.
5. (5) Texas Rising Star staff members are required to complete annual professional development and continuing education consistent with the Texas Rising Star annual minimum training hours requirement for a Texas Rising Star-certified child care center director.
6. (6) Pursuant to Texas Family Code, §261.101, Texas Rising Star staff members are mandated reporters when observing serious incidents as described in the Texas Rising Star guidelines.

Source Note:The provisions of this §809.136 adopted to be effective January 25, 2021, 46 TexReg 593; amended to be effective October 3, 2022, 47 TexReg 6437.