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| OVERVIEW |
The Maryland Child Care Tiered Reimbursement program recognizes child care programs that go beyond the requirements of State licensing and registration regulations. There are four levels of tiered reimbursement, each one recognizing a programs’ achievement of a certain level of program accreditation, staff credentialing, continued training, enhanced learning environment, staff compensation, parent involvement, and program evaluation. Participating child care programs must actively pursue program accreditation and complete activities that will help them develop policies and procedures to ensure that the services they provide constitute the best possible care for the children and families they serve. The tiered reimbursement program is voluntary and all licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers are encouraged to participate.
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| PROGRAM GOALS |
There are four major goals of the tiered reimbursement program.
They are to:
- Promote a well-qualified workforce.
- Increase the amount of Purchase of Care payments to child care programs.
- Promote a high level of program quality through the application of standards for program accreditation and environmental rating scales.
- Encourage parent involvement in child care settings.
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| IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION |
In order to be eligible for tiered reimbursement, the program must meet all of the criteria listed for the level.
Reimbursement is paid only for Purchase of Care vouchers receipted by the family child care provider or child care center.
The accreditation organization you use must meet the criteria set and approved by the DECD Early Childhood Accreditation Project. Currently approved accreditation organizations include:
- For Family Child Care Providers
- The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- For Child Care Centers
- American Montessori Internationale/USA (AMI/USA)
- American Montessori Society (AMS)
- Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS)
- Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
- Middle States Commission – Early Ages (MSCES-Early Years)
- Middle States Commission of Elementary Schools (MSCES)
- National Accreditation Commission (NAC)
- National Afterschool Association (NAA)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
You must check with the accreditation organization that you are using to identify the important milestones and requirements for program accreditation.
DO NOT assume that any training taken to meet the requirements for tiered reimbursement will be accepted for college credit or meet any other standard set by a national organization.
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| TIERED REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS |
Eligibility for Participation:
Registered family child care providers and licensed child care centers are eligible to participate in the tiered reimbursement program.
When you apply to participate in the tiered reimbursement program, you agree to:
- Maintain compliance with all applicable child care regulations;
- Develop, evaluate and revise program goals;
- Actively pursue program accreditation;
- Have each person in charge of a group of children (family child care provider, senior staff or group leader) and the director of a child care center meet the requirements of the appropriate Maryland Child Care Credential level;
- Have child care staff complete continued training at a higher level than the regulations require;
- Include in the program schedule, for all ages of children served, at least 15 minutes of reading activities per day;
- Actively involve parents in the program;
- Use an environmental rating scale, identified by CCA, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the program and make improvements based on the assessment;
- Develop and use parent evaluations; and
- For Child Care Centers Only;
- Employ an incremental salary scale based on education and experience;
- At the highest level of tiered reimbursement, provide a staff benefits package to staff;
- Develop and use staff evaluations.
A tiered reimbursement certificate is issued for a 12-month period and may be renewed each year.
Family child care providers and child care centers may not receive an additional amount of payment related to Purchase of Care vouchers or be considered eligible for the tiered reimbursement program if they are the subject of any sanction imposed by the Office of Child Care.
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| INCENTIVES |
Because the tiered reimbursement program is voluntary there are incentives available to child care facilities that choose to participate. The incentives are available to facilities participating at Level Two and higher and consist of:
Purchase of Care Voucher - Paid Differential:
An additional amount of reimbursement receipted by the local Department of Social Services made for every Purchase of Care voucher from a family child care provider or child care center. The additional payments will be based on the level of tiered reimbursement and the child’s subsidy level for the Purchase of Care program.
While not a requirement of the program, the additional amount of money received for each Purchase of Care voucher should be used to improve and enhance the program through staff compensation and benefits.
Accreditation Support:
Child care programs participating in the tiered reimbursement program must actively pursue program accreditation. A fund has been established to help eligible family child care providers and child care centers pay for the cost of the accreditation application fee.
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| COMPONENTS |
Program Accreditation- Family child care providers and child care centers must be actively pursuing program accreditation through one of the recognized accreditation organizations. Such organizations include:
- For Family Child Care Providers
- The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- For Child Care Centers
- American Montessori Internationale/USA (AMI/USA)
- American Montessori Society (AMS)
- Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS)
- Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
- Middle States Commission – Early Ages (MSCES-Early Years)
- Middle States Commission of Elementary Schools (MSCES)
- National Accreditation Commission (NAC)
- National Afterschool Association (NAA)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
Staff Credentialing- At tiered reimbursement Level 2 or higher, family child care providers and at least 60% of lead staff persons in child care centers must have Maryland Child Care Credential at the appropriate level. Lead staff persons in child care centers include the director, senior staff, and group leaders.
Continued Training- Continued training is required at each of the tiered reimbursement levels based on the position held in the child care facility and must be maintained throughout the period of approval at each tiered reimbursement level.
Learning Environment- Participation in the tiered reimbursement program requires that child care facilities enhance the learning environment beyond the regulatory requirements. Programs must include in their daily activities at least 15 minutes of reading activities per day for all ages of children served.
Staff Compensation- Child care centers are required to include in their business plan, incentives for staff including an incremental salary scale based on education and experience. Child care centers participating in the highest level of tiered reimbursement need to have a benefits package for staff as well.
Parent Involvement- Parents are an important component of quality child care services. Family child care providers and child care centers participating in the tiered reimbursement program are required to include and involve parents in a variety of ways. Each facility has the option to use a variety of activities and opportunities for parent involvement, including but not limited to:
- parent bulletin boards
- open door policy
- parent handbook
- parent/staff conferences
- classroom helpers
- newsletters
- workshops
- programs
- field trips
- preparing materials at home
- support of the program operation
- suggestion box
Program Evaluation- Each family child care home and child care center will use an appropriate early childhood environment rating scale to assess the program. Family child care providers will use the Family Day Care Environment Rating Scale (FDCERS). Child care centers will use the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale (SACERS). The scale to be used will be determined by the type of program, home or center, and the ages of the children served. At Level 2, a program will use the rating scale as a self-assessment. At Levels 3 and 4, a trained evaluator approved by the Office of Child Care will complete the rating scale for the facility, thus providing valuable feedback as a program improves the quality of care all children receive.
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| TIERED REIMBURSEMENT LEVELS |
CLICK HERE for TIERED REIMBURSEMENT LEVELS CHART
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| APPLICATION FOR TIERED REIMBURSEMENT |
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CLICK HERE for TIERED REIMBURSEMENT APPLICATION
*The file above is in pdf format.
You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.
If you do not already have the reader click the image.
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| ACCREDITATION SUPPORT |
General Information:
Funds are available to registered family child care providers and licensed child care centers to pay for the cost of the program accreditation application fee.
Awards made through this fund may not be used for any other cost of meeting the requirements of program accreditation.
An applicant may receive no more than:
The actual cost of the accreditation application fee up to a maximum of:
- $700 for a family child care home, or
- $1,000 for a child care center.
A family child care provider or child care center may apply for accreditation support to pay for:
- The initial accreditation application, including the self-study phase; or
- A renewal accreditation application.
A program may receive more than one award during the availability of the fund, but no more than one award per year.
Accreditation Support Awards:
Awards are assigned a priority by the Office of Child Care, with the highest priority given to programs serving Title 1 school districts.
OCC will make accreditation support awards:
- Until an award has been made to each eligible applicant; or
- As long as funds are available.
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| APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION SUPPORT |
CLICK HERE for ACCREDITATION SUPPORT APPLICATION
CLICK HERE for ACCREDITATION SUPPORT APPLICATION PROCESS
*The file above is in pdf format.
You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.
If you do not already have the reader click the image.
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Have questions or need more information about Credentialing Branch programs? Contact us.
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