The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued information regarding child care family fees for fiscal year 2020-21. All family fees were waived for July and August, 2020. Families should have received should have received a refund or credit for future services. Families disenrolled by the contractor or who chose to disenroll because of family fees for July and August 2020 can be reinstated if funding and space are available without the need for additional eligibility documentation. These families would receive priority and should be enrolled before any families from the agency’s eligibility list. If the contractor does not available space, the contractor may attempt to transfer enrollment to another contractor who has availability and, if not possible, refer the family to the local Resource and Referral program.
Family fees are waived for September, 2020 to June, 2021 for families where all children in the family enrolled in subsidized early learning center services remain at home for that month either because of closure of the facility when all currently enrolled children are not able to receive in-person services because of a public health order, or for families sheltering-in-place because of COVID-19. Families whose children receive in-person services will continue to pay the family fee.
Families may at any time request a reassessment of family fees based on income or other changes. This information can be used to reduce family fees but cannot be used to make any other changes unless requested by the family. Family fees will not be adjusted for absences when the family is certified for full-time care, and intended, at the time of paying the fee, to use in-person services, but does not attend for all of their certified hours in a given month.
When a direct services provider must close unexpectedly, including because of a positive COVID-19 test, or are required to limit in person services in response to a local or public health order, the family should receive a refund or credit for their family fee. If some in person services are provided, the part-time fees would still apply.
For families that have a delinquent family fee plan, contractors should have placed the plan on hold for the months of July and August 2020. Families should not have been terminated for outstanding fees owed for those months or while repayment plans were on hold. Families disenrolled by the contractor because of delinquent family fees during a period in which family fees are waived can be reinstated. If funding and space are available without the need for additional eligibility documentation. If the contractor does not available space, the contractor may attempt to transfer enrollment to another contractor who has availability and, if not possible, refer the family to the local Resource and Referral program.
Delinquent family fee plans resumed in September, 2020 only for families attending in-person care. Families sheltering-in-place or receiving distance learning services because of COVID-19 must pay outstanding fees or resume payment plans when the family returns to in person care. (MB 20-19a, December 9, 2020.)