GENERAL.

Dallas City Code ch. 12, art. I

in effect

Dallas City Code § 12-1 PURPOSE.

SEC. 12-1. PURPOSE. This chapter and the standards of care established by this chapter are adopted by the city council of the city of Dallas, Texas in compliance with Section 42.041(b)(14) of the Texas Human Resources Code, as amended, in order to exempt city youth programs from state child-care licensing requirements. These standards of care are intended to be minimum standards by which the city will operate its youth programs. The programs operated by the city are recreational in nature and are not child-care facilities. Although this chapter establishes standards of care for city youth programs for children of ages five through 13 years, nothing in this chapter requires the city to provide any youth programs, or prevents the city from limiting youth programs to specific age groups within the five- through 13-year-old range. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-2 EXPIRATION DATE.

SEC. 12-2. EXPIRATION DATE. This chapter and the youth program standards of care established in this chapter expire on September 17, 2026, unless sooner terminated or extended by ordinance of the city council. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 29358; 30106; 30650; 30976; 31647; 31994; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-3 DEFINITIONS.

SEC. 12-3. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) ADMINISTRATION CENTER means the main administrative site for a city youth program. (2) CITY means the city of Dallas, Texas. (3) CITY COUNCIL means the city council of the city of Dallas. (4) DEPARTMENT means the park and recreation department of the city. (5) DIRECTOR means the director of the park and recreation department or the director’s authorized representative. (6) INTER-SESSION means the periods of time when a year-round school is not in session. (7) PARENT means a person who: (A) is a natural parent, an adoptive parent, or a step-parent of a youth; (B) is, under court order, the guardian of the person of a youth or is a public or private agency with whom a youth has been placed by a court; or (C) otherwise has legal custody and authority to enroll a youth in a city youth program. (8) PARTICIPANT means a youth whose parent has completed all required registration procedures and who is determined by the director to be eligible to participate in a city youth program. (9) PROGRAM COORDINATOR or COORDINATOR means a full-time professional employee of the department who is responsible for: (A) managing a recreational facility where a youth program is conducted; or (B) overseeing the planning, administration, and implementation of a particular city youth program. (10) PROGRAM EMPLOYEE or EMPLOYEE means any person hired to work for the department who is assigned responsibility for managing, administering, or implementing some portion of a youth program. The term includes program coordinators and program leaders. (11) PROGRAM LEADER or LEADER means a full-time, part-time, permanent, or temporary employee of the department, or an independent contractor or volunteer of the city, who is assigned responsibility for implementing or conducting some portion of a youth program. (12) PROGRAM MANUAL means a notebook of policies, procedures, required forms, and organizational and programming information relevant to the city’s youth programs, as promulgated or otherwise approved by the director. (13) PROGRAM SITE means any area or facility where any portion of a city youth program is conducted. (14) STANDARDS OF CARE means all provisions contained in this chapter. (15) YOUTH means a person who is not less than five years nor more than 13 years of age. (16) YOUTH PROGRAM or PROGRAM means a city-sponsored recreational program for youth that may be offered by the park and recreation department after school, during the summer, during holidays, or during inter-session. The term does not include any program or activity to which attendees are free to come and go at will without regard to the presence of a parent or other responsible adult to care for them. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-4 ADMINISTRATION.

SEC. 12-4. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The director shall implement, administer, and enforce the youth program standards of care. The director may by written order establish such rules, regulations, and policies, not inconsistent with this chapter, as the director determines are necessary to discharge any duty under or to effect the policy of this chapter. (b) No city youth program may be advertised as a child-care facility. (c) The standards of care apply to all youth programs sponsored by the city, whether offered after school, during the summer, during holidays, or during inter-session. (d) When registering for a youth program, each participant’s parent will be provided a current copy of the standards of care and will be informed that the youth program is not licensed by the State of Texas. A current copy of the standards of care will also be maintained at each youth program site for inspection and review by the public and by program employees. (e) The director shall cause a criminal background check to be conducted on each prospective youth program employee. If results of that criminal check indicate that an applicant has been convicted of any of the following offenses, the applicant will not be considered for employment: (1) a felony or a misdemeanor classified as an offense against a person or family; (2) a felony or misdemeanor classified as public indecency; (3) a felony or misdemeanor violation of any law intended to control the possession or distribution of any controlled substance; (4) any offense involving moral turpitude; or (5) any offense that would potentially put youth participants or the city of Dallas at risk. (f) The provisions of this chapter are administrative in nature and are not subject to criminal penalties. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-5 INSPECTION; MONITORING; ENFORCEMENT.

SEC. 12-5. INSPECTION; MONITORING; ENFORCEMENT. (a) A coordinator shall initiate an inspection report for each youth program to confirm that standards of care are being met. Each inspection report will be sent to the director for review and kept on record for at least two years. The director shall review each report and establish deadlines and criteria for program compliance with the standards of care. (b) The director shall make visual inspections of each youth program site based on the following schedule: (1) Each after school program site will be inspected bimonthly. (2) Each summer program site will be inspected twice during its summer schedule. (3) Each holiday program site will be inspected once during the winter break and once during the spring break. (4) Each inter-session program site will be inspected once during each inter-session. (c) Any complaint regarding enforcement of the standards of care at a youth program must be directed to the program site coordinator. The coordinator shall take necessary steps to resolve each problem. The complaint and its resolution must be recorded by the coordinator. The director shall address any serious complaint regarding enforcement of the standards of care and record the complaint and its resolution. (d) The director shall make an annual report to the city council on the overall status of the youth programs and their operation relative to compliance with the standards of care. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-6 ENROLLMENT.

SEC. 12-6. ENROLLMENT. Before a youth may be enrolled in a youth program, a parent must sign registration forms that contain the following information: (1) the child’s name, age, address, and home telephone number; (2) the name and address of each parent and a telephone number for each parent during program hours; (3) the name and telephone number of each person to whom the child may be released; (4) a statement of the child’s special problems or needs; (5) an emergency medical authorization; (6) proof of residency, when appropriate; (7) a liability waiver; and (8) an acknowledgement that the parent has been informed and understands that the program is not licensed by the State of Texas. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Dallas City Code § 12-7 SUSPECTED ABUSE.

SEC. 12-7. SUSPECTED ABUSE. Every program employee shall report suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with the Texas Family Code. (Ord. Nos. 23159; 23534; 23907; 24281; 24611; 24943; 25269; 25628; 25998; 26376; 26800; 27222; 27565; 27911; 28217; 28670; 29036; 30106; 30650; 33229)

Source: City of Dallas, Dallas City Code and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/dallas/latest/dallas_tx/0-0-0-138172Fetched: 10/26/2026