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.
November 18, 2019 2019 Market Rate Survey and YOU | Webinar Every three years, states update information regarding the prices child care providers charge families. Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) on December 4 for “2019 Market Rate Survey and YOU,” a webinar that will explain the importance of the Survey and how to enter current program information in PELICAN Provider Self-Service. About In this webinar, staff from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will talk about the importance of the 2019 Market Rate Survey and explain how to access Provider Self-Service, what providers will see when they login to their program, and how to ensure that current information from your program is reflected as OCDEL looks at Child Care Works reimbursement rates. With this, OCDEL invites all Pennsylvania certified child care providers to participate in the 2019 Market Rate Survey now through December 30, 2019. The easiest way to share this information is to ensure your prices are correct in the online Provider Self-Service Portal. Updated information from child care providers will provide more accurate information to determine child care prices in Pennsylvania and will provide OCDEL with important data to compare private pay prices with the Child Care Works reimbursements known as base rates. Registration Attendees must register by 12:00 p.m. on December 4, 2019. To register, visit the event webpage. More Information For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at 717.657.9000, x 107. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA)
November 8, 2019 Pennsylvania Announces 2019 Market Rate Survey The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) invites all Pennsylvania certified child care providers to participate in the 2019 Market Rate Survey. About Every three years, states conduct a Market Rate Survey (MRS) to update information regarding the prices child care providers charge families. With the last official MRS conducted in 2016, OCDEL invites all certified child care providers in Pennsylvania to submit their published private pay rates. By providing this information, child care providers help OCDEL paint a more accurate picture of child care prices in Pennsylvania and will provide an important database to compare private pay prices with the Child Care Works reimbursement base rates. How to Participate The survey is available online from October 7 through December 30, 2019 within the PELICAN Provider Self-Service Portal. Participation will require a username and password to enter. For assistance on enrolling in Provider Self-Service or updating your child care prices if you do not have access to Provider Self-Service, contact your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC). Information from all child care providers is important, even if your private pay prices have not changed. If your prices remained the same, please update the “effective date” within the Provider Self-Service Portal. Any changes made between October 7 and December 30, 2019 will be included. Click here for instructions on how to complete the Survey using Provider Self-Service. Frequently Asked Questions What is the Market Rate Survey? In order to comply with federal requirements and continue to draw down federal dollars from the Child Care Development Block Grant for the operation of the Child Care Works (CCW) child care subsidy program, OCDEL is required to complete a periodic Market Rate Survey (MRS). The MRS collects information from all regulated child care providers about their published private pay rates. Providers should participate in the MRS and confirm or report updates to their private pay rates using Provider Self Service (PSS) or, if not enrolled in PSS, by contacting their Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC). What does the term “market rate” mean? The “market rate” is interpreted as the rate which families are asked to pay, and which is published in program literature. The market rate does not reflect any discounts. Will I be audited for updating my published rates? Probably not. OCDEL has required verification in the past, and ELRCs have on occasion called a sampling of providers to check, but this is not the plan for this year’s MRS. However, providers should still only share published rates that they can verify if needed, and is the rate charged to most families. What qualifies as a “discount?” “Discounts” reflect allowances for families to pay a lower rate. For example, Comcast advertises its rate to clients, but frequently offers specials and discounts for loyal customers and new clients. Child care providers who typically charge $100 but who can offer discounts and specials to lower the price to $80 should still report their rate as $100. The MRS is not designed to capture any discounts that individual providers may choose to offer; it captures ONLY a provider’s published private pay rate. What do they mean by “published?” “Publishing” includes your website, your family handbook, any written contracts, or the rate visible on COMPASS. What is the Child Care Works (CCW) reimbursement rate? The Child Care Works (CCW) reimbursement rate is the rate that providers are reimbursed by the state for providing care to children who are eligible for CCW. This rate is based on the current market rate as provided through the MRS and is determined in part during the appropriations process. Because many providers also serve children who are not eligible for CCW reimbursement, providers must maintain a separate market rate for private pay families, and report this rate when completing their MRS rather than the CCW reimbursement rate. Why participate in the Market Rate Survey? It is important that each provider updates their private pay rates so that OCDEL has the necessary data to consider future Child Care Works base rate increases. Learn More To learn more, view the full announcement or contact your local ELRC. *Information provided by OCDEL
March 29, 2019 Lunch & Learn: Navigating the Future of Learning Join Remake Learning on April 25th to explore KnowledgeWork’s most recent forecast on the future of learning, “Navigating the Future of Learning.” Context Engaged citizens and civic organizations are seeking to rebalance power. Artificial intelligence and algorithms are automating many aspects of our lives. People have increasing access to tools and insights that are reshaping our brains in intended and unintended ways. Outdated and misaligned systems and metrics of success are contributing to chronic health issues. Communities are working to remake themselves in the face of deep transitions. How these forces combine and interact will present a new context for education and a new landscape of choices for transforming teaching and learning. About the Event As always, this is free, open gathering designed to forge and develop relationships between the educators, innovators, and change agents that make up the Remake Learning Network. Join to discuss your craft, address issues, share opportunities, and connect to resources. Learn more at remakelearning.org/meetups Lunch will be provided with a vegetarian option. Please help reduce food waste by letting them know if you need to cancel your registration. The cut-off date for special food requests is April 21. Registration To register, visit Remake Learning’s event page. Questions & Concerns For any questions or concerns, email Ani at ani@remakelearning.org.
