The CASE Partnership Project is the result of collaboration between the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). HCDE commits local funds to serve as matching dollars that activate a commitment of Federal childcare funds through TWC.  The Partnership Project concept extends beyond traditional child care subsidy programs – it involves schools and families as well.   Children served must be 4 – 12 years of age, or up to 19 years of age with a documented disability.

Through this collaboration, the CASE Partnership Project is able to access two streams of funding, Direct Care and Quality Improvement, sharing the common goal of providing quality out-of-school time programming for youth.  Partnership Project sites, in either funding model, offer an array of activities that develop both academic and social skills in students.  Both types of funding require that sites acquire an operating license through the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Programs that access Direct Care dollars must comply with federal and local eligibility requirements for participating families.  These requirements address income, citizenship, and employment guidelines.  Under the Direct Care model, parents must also remit co-payments, based on income, directly to the school each month.  Sites must verify attendance for all students through the TWC automated attendance system.

Quality Improvement initiatives at Partnership sites do not follow the eligibility process required by Direct Care dollars.  Rather, these funds are used to ensure that sites implement best practices that improve the school readiness of all children in underserved communities.