February 1, 2021 Base Rates for CCW Reimbursements to Increase March 1 On February 1, 2021, Governor Tom Wolf announced an increase to base rates paid to child care providers participating in Child Care Works (CCW), Pennsylvania’s subsidized child care program. About Effective March 1, 2021, base rates for CCW reimbursements will be increased to the 40th percentile of the market rate for child care in the provider’s region, up from approximately the 25th percentile where most of Pennsylvania’s child care providers currently sit. This change brings Pennsylvania closer to the federal government’s recommendation of reimbursing at the 75th percentile. This increase equates to an additional $28.8 million in federal funding for the 2020-21 fiscal year and $87.2 million in the 2021-22 fiscal year. This change will also regionalize rate calculation based on Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) regions rather than calculating rates by county for each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Pennsylvania is currently the only state that does not regionalize rates. Regionalization of rates creates a larger pool to more accurately represent rates across provider types licensed by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning in each region rather than calculating rates by county with limited sample sizes and provider type representation. No provider will see their rates decrease with this new structure. The average increase across all regions is $4.59. Every three years, a child care market rate survey is conducted to guide rate setting. The last Market Rate Survey was completed in 2019 and released in 2020. Why It Matters “Child care is essential for a functioning economy. Investments in this industry benefit us in two different ways. They support communities and the families that rely on care to join the workforce every day and nurture the growth and development of young minds as they prepare for grade school and later long-term success,” said Gov. Wolf. “Increasing base reimbursement rates is an investment in the dedicated professionals that do this work every day and for countless parents and children. We all seek to weather the challenges created by the pandemic and the recovery ahead.” According to the announcement, nearly two-thirds of children enrolled in CCW are in a lower-rated child care provider, and higher quality providers serve fewer CCW families. By providing increased base payments for care for children enrolled in CCW, more child care operators will increase operating margins allowing them to potentially retain more highly qualified staff and engage in enhanced quality activities. “Child Care Works makes quality, affordable child care accessible for working families across our commonwealth,” said Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller. “By investing in base rates, we invest in quality across our child care industry – an investment that will help providers grow, develop, and retain staff and continue to improve services and care for our youngest Pennsylvanians.” What is Child Care Works? Child Care Works is Pennsylvania’s subsidized child care program that helps low-income families pay their child care tuition and fees. To be eligible, families must earn 200 percent or less of the federal poverty guidelines at application and meet work or job training requirements. Eligible families are able to choose to enroll at any participating child care provider, which can be impacted by convenience, transportation, cost, and working hours. Families enrolled in CCW pay a co-pay, and providers that participate in CCW are reimbursed a set base rate per child from the state with the opportunity for add-on funding. More Information For more information, read Governor Wolf’s full announcement.
October 6, 2020 Promoting Inclusion in ECE Programs On September 30, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released guidance on strategies early learning programs should use to ensure all young children with disabilities and their families have access to high-quality, inclusive programming. About OCDEL issued this announcement to provide guidance on strategies that promote inclusion for all students, set an expectation for high-quality programs to be inclusive of children with disabilities, and identify resources available to local early learning programs. Who Does This Apply To? Effective October 1, 2020, this announcement applies to both federally- and state-funded programs, including Child Care Works, Child Care Certification, Early Head Start, Head Start, Early Intervention, Home Visiting programs, Keystone STARS, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and Family Centers. Next Steps To promote inclusion, local early learning programs must complete the following actions: 1. In collaboration with program staff and families: develop and implement a written program policy that focuses on actively including young children with disabilities in your early learning program; review and modify existing policies, practices, and procedures to ensure barriers are removed that would prevent children with disabilities from accessing or participating in your early learning program; and develop resources for effective communication between families and program staff to ensure families know the benefits of and their rights related to inclusion. 2. Assess staff competencies and implement professional development, which includes family perspectives, related to inclusion based on the needs of staff and families. 3. Seek assistance from your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) to identify examples of inclusive program policies, structures, and activities to provide models of dissemination and replication throughout Pennsylvania. 4. Develop and strengthen partnerships between your program and Early Intervention programs so that supports and services for children with disabilities can be provided within the daily routines and activities of high-quality early learning programs. 5. Participate in ongoing opportunities for stakeholder input and professional development opportunities on additional OCDEL guidance related to the inclusion of all children. 6. Implement this policy in conjunction with the Announcement, Reduction of Expulsion and Suspension in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania and any additional guidance related to the inclusion of all children. OCDEL’s Support To promote practices that support the inclusion of all young children in early learning programs, OCDEL will complete the following actions: 1. In collaboration with and input from stakeholders and families, OCDEL will: provide high-quality professional development opportunities through The Pennsylvania Key, ELRCs, Professional Development Organizations, and Early Intervention Technical Assistance; identify examples of inclusive program policies, structures, and activities to provide models for dissemination and replication throughout Pennsylvania; and provide written guidelines for implementing inclusion policies. 2. OCDEL will provide individualized support, including on-site coaching and consultation, to OCDEL-funded programs. 3. Through the ELRCs, OCDEL will: identify opportunities for community partnerships to promote inclusion, including partnerships for providing individualized support, professional development, and other capacity-building resources; provide support and guidance to assist child care programs to progress in their Keystone STAR level rating; and support child care programs to understand their vital role in supporting inclusion. More Information For more information, read the full announcement.
September 21, 2020 State Office Candidate Conversation: Child Care In Allegheny County, 48 percent of eligible children do not have access to publicly funded pre-k programs and 67 percent of Child Care Works subsidy-eligible children under age five remain unserved. Before you vote on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, find out what your candidates think about early childhood education. Registration Join the Children Matter Action Fund on September 23 for an online conversation about child care with Allegheny County candidates for state office in House Districts 28, 30, 44, and 45! To register, visit the event webpage. Unable to attend? Check out each candidate’s views on the Children Matter Action Fund website.
July 21, 2020 Child Care Works Payment Practice Changes Effective 9/1 On July 17, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) issued an announcement stating that starting September 1, 2020, Child Care Works (CCW) payments will return to payment practices and policies based on attendance and invoicing for all children. This will remain true regardless of when a child was enrolled with the provider. Additional Policy Changes In addition, the following policies will again be effective starting September 1: absences will be tracked and counted towards the 40 days of absences for all children; children’s enrollment after five days of absence will be suspended until the child returns to care; all Adverse Action notices will be sent to families per policy; dual enrollments, the practice implemented under COVID-19 to support both a closed provider and families who need care, will end; and collection of family co-pays will resume. The announcement is intended to provide advance notice to child care providers, allowing them to plan for the use of final CARES Act funding which will be issued in August. Providers should communicate the resumption of absence policies (effective September 1) to the families they serve. More Information For more information, view OCDEL’s full announcement or contact your local ELRC.
July 10, 2020 OCDEL Releases an “Opening a Child Care Facility” Toolkit To support individuals interested in opening their own child care program, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released the “Opening a Child Care Facility in Pennsylvania” toolkit that features details on the step-by-step process of requirements and regulations, obtaining a child care certification, and more! Featured Topics In the toolkit, OCDEL features information on the following topics and more: child care requirements and regulations; types of child care facilities; the process to obtain a child care certification; the types of clearances needed for staff; health and safety requirements, including fire safety; the role of child care subsidies; and financial considerations and supports for operating a child care business (private pay, Child Care Works, Pre-K Counts, etc.). Download the Toolkit For more information on how to open a child care facility in Pennsylvania, download the full toolkit.
