The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued a Management Bulletin about changes in the child care family fee schedule. The Management Bulletin has a link to a chart of new the family fee schedule based on the revised minimum income ceilings from AB 99.
The Management Bulletin also contains guidance about charging the family fee. Families are assessed a flat monthly fee based on number of hours of care, income and family size. Families with a certified need of less than 130 hours per month are assessed a part-time fee. Contractors must use the new fee schedule when assessing a family at initial application or recertification, a parent voluntarily reports changes to reduce their family fees and when recalculating fees to determine the amount of a refund because of changes in the family fee. Agencies cannot increase fees because of the new schedule fees unless the change results from recertification.
Several types of families are exempt from the family see. These families are families receiving CalWORKs, families enrolled in part-day preschool, families with children at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation, and families whose children are receiving Child Protective Services services.
When the parent has a predictable schedule, the contract uses the that schedule to determine the number of hours of child care. For families with unpredictable schedules, the contractor uses the average number of work hours for the four months prior to certification. If there is not work history, the fee is based on verified hours the employer expects the parent to work, or self-employment documentation provided by the parent. The contractor reassesses the fee every 12 months unless the family requests a reduction by reporting a change.
When a family requests a reduction to their family fee by reporting a change such as family income, days and hours of care needed, or family size, the contractor must reassess the family fee. The parent must provide documentation to support the reported change. The family fee reduction takes effect on the first of the month following receipt and approval of the verification of the change. The documentation cannot be used to make any other changes to the service agreement.
A Notice of Action must be issued immediately upon receipt and approval of the documentation supporting the change. The fee reduction is effective immediately upon receipt of the Notice of Action. (Management Bulletin 17-11, August, 2017.)