QUESTION:

Iamaparentandmy childisattendingachildcareprogram thataccepts state subsidy.I understand andsupportthe EarlyStartAct andits focusonthequalityofearlylearningservices.

Whatresourcesareavailabletotheproviders tomeet therequiredEarly StartActEarlyAchievers

timelines?

ANSWER:

TheEarlyStartActispurposefullyfocusedonsupportingproviderswhosegoal is toservethemost vulnerable populationof children andfamilies.TheEarlyStartAct statesspecificrequirementsfor both newand existinglicensed childcareprovidersitdefinesresourcesandsupports that DEL,in collaborationwithChildCare Aware(CCA)and other statepartners,isresponsibletoorganizefor childcareprovidersenrollinginEarlyAchievers. TheEarlyStartActresourcesandsupportsinclude,but arenotlimitedto:

-EarlyAchieversneeds-basedgrants

-Tieredsubsidy reimbursement

-ProfessionalqualificationandEarlyAchieversincentives

-ProfessionalDevelopmentPathwayforEarly Achieversparticipants to obtainahigh school diploma orequivalencyorhighereducationcredential inearlychildhoodeducation,early childhoodstudies,childdevelopment,oranacademicfieldrelatedtoearlycareandeducation

-ScholarshipsandgrantstoassistEarlyAchieversparticipants withthecostsassociatedwith obtaininganeducational certificatesordegrees.

-AProfessionalDevelopmentPathwaytoaddressculturalandlinguisticdiversity

-Statewide SubstitutePool forEarlyAchieversparticipants

-OngoingEarlyAchievertechnicalassistance,training,coachingandmentoring

-Extensiontime fortheEarlyAchieversparticipantsinmeetingrating levelrequirement timelines

-Alignmentofthenational accreditation standardsandEarlyAchievers

QUESTION:

I’manexistinglicensedchildcareproviderwhois servingchildrenreceivingstate subsidy.Myprogram is notyetenrolledinEarlyAchievers.Itis myprogram missiontocontinue to provideservicestothe familieswho needtobe supportedthe most.

Whatare theEarlyStart ActEarly Achievers requirements forexistinglicensedchildcare providers?

ANSWER:

TheEarlyStartActispurposefullyfocusedonsupportingproviderslikeyouwhosegoal is toserveour mostdiverseand vulnerablechildren andfamilies.TheEarlyStartActstatesspecific requirementsfor newand existinglicensed childcareprovidersas wellas definesspecificEarlyStartActresourcesand supportsthatDEL,incollaborationwithChild CareAware(CCA)andotherstatepartners,isresponsible to organizefor providers whoareabouttoenroll in Early Achievers.

TheEarlyAchieverstimelinesareveryfriendlyandallowtimetoplanandprepareforthe enrollment

and theratingprocesses:

1. If youare an existingchildcareproviderservingnonschool-agechildren andreceivingstate subsidypayments youhaveafullyeartoplan your enrollment in EarlyAchieverswith DELand CCAsupport–theenrollmentduedateisAugust1st, 2016.

2. After youenroll inEarlyAchievers(byAugust1st,2016)youhaveanotheryear tocompletelevel

2EarlyAchieversactivities bypartneringwith DELandCCA- byAugust 1st,2017.

3. After your level 2EarlyAchievers activitiesare completed(byAugust1st,2017)youhave anothertwoandhalfyearstoenhancethe qualityof your servicesaccessingDELandCCA supportsandrateatlevel3or higherbyDecember31st,2019.

4. If yourratingisbelowlevel3when youarerated on(or before)December31st,2019, CCAand

DELwill helpyouwithremedial activities,whichwillgiveyouanadditional6 months toprepare for re-rating, byJune30, 2020.

5. Youalsowillbeeligible forthe EarlyAchieversratingtimeextensionasanactive participantin

Early Achievers activities

6. If youwillsuccessfullycompleteall level2activitiesbyAugust 1st,2017 and arewaitingtobe rated bythedeadline(December31,2019),youwillcontinuetoreceiveastatesubsidypending

the successful completionof thelevel3rating.

Status / ExistingChildCareProvider
(servingnon school-age
childrenandreceivingsubsidy payments) / NewChildCareProvider
(servingnon school-agechildren
andplanning toreceivestate subsidy)
Enrollmentdate for
EarlyAchievers / August1,2016 / Within30daysofreceiving
initial subsidypayment
Date to complete Early
Achievers“Level2
Activities” / August1,2017 / 1 yearafterenrollment
Date toberatedlevel3
orhigherinEarly
Achievers / December31,2019 / At least30months(2.5years)
from enrollment
Date toberatedlevel3
orhigherinEarly
Achievers (beyond
2019*) / June30,2020 / Additional6monthsforrerating

*Providerswho do notreacha level3or higherinEarly Achieversareexpected toworkwith DELandCCA

to achievethismandatorygoal.

Youwillhaveongoingaccess to theresourcesandconsistentsupportsthatwillbeprovided bythe state—andyouwill haveupto5years toreach level 3 or higher.If youstarttoplan yourEarlyAchieversactivities rightnow- inJuly,2015 –youwillhaveupto fiveyearstomeettheEarly Start Actexpectations.

QUESTION:

I’mplanningtobecome a licensedchildcare provider andserve childrenreceivingstatesubsidy.

Whatare theEarlyStart ActEarly Achievers requirementsfornewly licensedchildcareproviderswhounderstandhowimportant is toservechildrenthat receive the subsidy?

ANSWER:

TheEarlyStartActispurposefullyfocusedonsupportingproviderslike youwhosegoal is toservethe mostdiverseand vulnerablechildren andfamilies.TheEarlyStartActstatesspecific requirementsfor newand existinglicensed childcareproviders,and it’sdefinesESAresourcesandsupportsthatDEL,in collaborationwith Child CareAware,andotherstate partnersis responsibleto organizefor providers enrollingin EarlyAchievers.

The Early Achievers timelines allow time to plan and prepare for the enrollment and rating processes:

1. If youare a newchildcareproviderservingnonschool-agechildren and planningto receivethe statesubsidy,youhave toenroll in EarlyAchieverswith DELandCCAsupportwithin30daysof receivingtheinitialsubsidypayment.

2. After enrollingin EarlyAchievers youhaveoneyear tocompletelevel2EarlyAchievers activities bycollaboratingwithDELandCCA andreceivingneeded resourcesandsupports.

3. You need to rate atalevel3orhigherwithinthirtymonths(2.5years)of

yourEarlyAchievers enrollment.DELandCCAwillcontinueto offeryouresources andsupports.

4. If yourratingislowerthanlevel3afterthirty months (2.5years)of your EarlyAchievers enrollment,DELandCCAwill help youwithremedialactivities,whichwill giveyouan additional six monthstoprepareforre-rating.

5. If yousuccessfullycompleteall level2activitiesand aretoberatedby thedeadline,youwill continuetoreceivestatesubsidypayments pendingthesuccessful completionof thelevel3 ratingactivity.

6. Youalsowillbeeligible forthe EarlyAchieversratingtimeextensionasanactive participantin

EarlyAchievers.

Youwillhaveongoingaccess to theresourcesandsupportsthat willbeprovidedby thestate. If you starttoplanyour EarlyAchievers activitiesatthesametime youarepreparingtoservechildrenand familieswhoreceivethestatesubsidy,youwillhaveuptofouryears tomeettheEarlyStartAct expectationsandachieveaQualityLevelofExcellence.

Status / ExistingChildCareProvider (servingnon school-age childrenandreceivingsubsidy
payments) / NewChildCareProvider (servingnon school-agechildren andplanning toreceivestate
subsidy)
Enrollmentdate for
EarlyAchievers / August1,2016 / Within30daysofreceiving
initial subsidypayment
Date to complete Early
Achievers“Level2
Activities” / August1,2017 / 1 yearafterenrollment
Date toberatedlevel3
orhigherinEarly
Achievers / December31,2019 / At least30months(2.5years)
from enrollment
Date toberatedlevel3
orhigherinEarly
Achievers (beyond
2019*) / June30,2020 / Additional6monthsforrerating

*Providerswho do notreacha level3orhigherinEarly Achieversareexpected toworkwith DELandCCA

to achievethismandatorygoal.

Youwillhaveongoingaccess to theresourcesandconsistentsupportsthatwillbeprovided bythestate. If youstart toplan your EarlyAchieversactivitiesatthesametimeyouarepreparingtoservechildren andfamilieswhoreceivethestatesubsidy,youwillhaveupto 4yearstomeettheEarlyStartAct expectations.