NCI vs. TRS Certifications: Understanding the Transition in Texas Child Care Standards

Nov 01, 2025

When parents and caregivers look for a quality child care program in Texas, they often come across various certifications and quality standards. Two names that frequently surface are NCI (National Child Care Institute) and TRS (Texas Rising Star). While NCI once represented a quality benchmark for child care providers, the state of Texas has transitioned toward the Texas Rising Star program as the officially recognized standard for excellence in early childhood education.

In this blog, we’ll explain what NCI was, how TRS became the official certification, and what this transition means for parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators.

What Was NCI (National Child Care Institute)?

The National Child Care Institute (NCI) was once a reference point for quality child care services across Texas. Many centers proudly mentioned “NCI Accepted” or “NCI Certified” to indicate compliance with certain care and education standards.

For parents, seeing an NCI affiliation provided assurance that a program met baseline standards for health, safety, and early childhood development. For child care providers, it represented a commitment to providing structured learning environments and nurturing care.

However, over time, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) developed a more comprehensive, state-regulated quality rating system to ensure consistency across providers. This led to the creation of the Texas Rising Star (TRS) program — the recognized standard for high-quality early learning in Texas.

What Is TRS (Texas Rising Star)?

The Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is the state’s official quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for child care providers. Managed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), TRS certifies centers that go above and beyond state licensing requirements to deliver exceptional early education and care.

Through a detailed assessment process, centers can earn a 2-Star, 3-Star, or 4-Star rating. TRS evaluates programs in the following categories:

Child Development and Education: How the program supports exploration, learning, and creativity.
Teacher-Child Interactions: The quality of engagement, communication, and emotional support between caregivers and children.
Program Administration: Professional development, management practices, and continuous improvement.
Family Engagement: How the program partners with parents to support every child’s growth and development.

This structure allows families to easily identify Texas Rising Star daycares that demonstrate excellence and continuous improvement.

From NCI to TRS: Understanding the Transition

For years, many Texas child care centers have been identified with NCI standards. However, as the child care landscape evolved, Texas replaced NCI references with Texas Rising Star certification to ensure all programs are measured against the same consistent, evidence-based benchmarks.

While NCI served as a general indicator of quality, the TRS program is a formalized, state-endorsed system that evaluates curriculum, teacher qualifications, family engagement, and administrative standards. This transition ensures parents have a clear, transparent view of child care quality across the state.

Parents can have confidence in a TRS Star Rating, knowing that the program has passed a thorough evaluation and aligns with the top state-approved quality standards.

Why TRS Certification Matters for Families

For families seeking child care, Texas Rising Star certification offers reassurance and trust. TRS-certified centers have demonstrated their commitment to excellence in both education and care.

Here’s what sets TRS programs apart:

High-Quality Curriculum: TRS providers utilize lesson plans grounded in research that aim to enhance social, emotional, and cognitive development. The Texas Rising Star curriculum emphasizes play-based learning, literacy development, and early STEM exposure.
Safe, Nurturing Environments: TRS centers exceed health and safety requirements, ensuring every child learns in a secure setting.
Professional Educators: Caregivers participate in ongoing professional development to maintain quality teaching practices.
Strong Family Partnerships: Parents are encouraged to participate in their child’s learning journey through communication, events, and home-learning activities.

Choosing a TRS-rated program means your child is part of a system committed to early learning excellence — one that prepares children for success in school and beyond.

MBS Kids: Proud to Be a TRS 4-Star Certified Program

At MBS Kids Early Learning Center, we’re proud to hold the Texas Rising Star 4-Star Certification, the highest level of recognition in the state.

This award reflects our unwavering dedication to:

Delivering an engaging, research-based Texas Rising Star curriculum tailored to each age group.
Maintaining safe, stimulating, and inclusive classroom environments that inspire curiosity and confidence.
Investing in our teachers through continuous professional development and training.
Building strong partnerships with families to support every child’s unique potential and growth.

Our TRS 4-Star rating also reflects the quality and diversity of programs we proudly offer to families across Texas, including:

Infant–Toddler Program – Fostering early learning through sensory play, nurturing care, and responsive interactions.
Preschool Program – Preparing children for kindergarten through hands-on exploration and a well-rounded Texas Rising Star curriculum.
Before and After School Program – Offering a safe and enriching environment for school-age children to learn, play, and grow.
Summer Camps – Keeping children active and engaged with creative, educational, and adventure-filled summer experiences.
Childcare for Working Parents – Providing flexible, reliable, and high-quality care that supports busy family schedules.
Corporate Childcare Solutions – Partnering with businesses to offer trusted care solutions for employees and their families.
Half-Day Preschool Program – Balancing structure and flexibility that aligns with the needs of young learners and their families.

We believe every child deserves the best start possible, and our TRS 4-Star status confirms that our standards meet the highest expectations set by the Texas Workforce Commission. Through our certified programs and passionate educators, MBS Kids continues to set the benchmark for excellence among Texas Rising Star daycares.

The Bottom Line

While the National Child Care Institute (NCI) once represented child care quality, the Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is now the official certification recognized by the State of Texas.

Parents searching for trustworthy Texas Rising Star daycares can use the TRS rating system to find programs that offer exceptional early education, strong family engagement, and safe environments.

At MBS Kids, we’re honored to be a TRS 4-Star certified center, delivering excellence through every aspect of our Texas Rising Star curriculum — helping children grow, learn, and shine every day.