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Council adopts ordinance keeping city childcare programs exempt from state standards for another year
Summary
The City Council adopted an ordinance extending the city’s exemption from certain state childcare standards for its afterschool and camp programs for one year, amid questions about background checks and safeguards raised by residents.
The Grand Prairie City Council adopted an ordinance extending the city’s exemption from state childcare requirements for its afterschool and camp programs for the coming year. The ordinance passed after a public hearing and a brief discussion; a motion to approve was made, seconded and carried by the council.
City staff explained the ordinance allows the city to maintain current locally governed standards of care for its childcare and afterschool programs rather than switching to a state-mandated regime. Deputy City Manager Megan Mahan told the public she could provide a copy of the city’s standards of care ordinance and noted it lists specific criminal offenses that would make an applicant ineligible for employment.
Public commenters pressed the council about the breadth of background checks, asking whether city staff perform FBI fingerprint-based checks that query national databases. Harold Willis and other speakers expressed concern that state or national databases could reveal crimes that county-only checks might miss. Mahan responded that city employees undergo the HR department’s background process but stated, "No. We do not" perform FBI checks through HR when asked directly; she offered to provide the written standards for review.
Council member Michelle urged approval, noting the city has run afterschool and summer camp programs for decades and that staff perform annual reviews. The motion to adopt was made and seconded; the council voted to carry the ordinance.
