Keystone STARS
Grants & Awards
Child Care Works Subsidy Add-on for Keystone STARS programs
As part of OCDEL’s commitment to continuous quality improvement in early learning, child care programs participating in Keystone STARS at the STAR 2 level or above will receive a subsidy add-on for every child they serve who is enrolled in Child Care Works.
This subsidy add-on, or “tiered reimbursement,” is applicable to centers at the STAR 2 level or higher, and increases with each STAR level. The add-on is automatically applied to the daily subsidized child care rate for the program by the CCIS. The additional daily amount may, in some circumstances, increase provider rates to an amount that exceeds the Maximum Child Care Allowance.
For the 2010-11 fiscal year, the tiered reimbursement rates are as follows:
- STAR 2
Full-time - $.70, Part-time - $.30 - STAR 3
Full-time - $2.20, Part-time - $.95 - STAR 4
Full-time - $3.00, Part-time - $1.30
STARS Awards for 2010-11
The award amounts for family chld care and group home providers have not changed for the 2010-11 fiscal year. However, the award amounts for the small centers have been broken into two separate categories based on the number of Full-Time Equivalency (FTE). Please see the 2010-11 Award Overview for further details. The Education & Retention Award (ERA) amounts have not changed for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
For the 2010-11 fiscal year, the award eligibility percentage continues to include children who are receiving the following services:
- Child Care Works subsidized care administered through the Child Care Information Services (CCIS); and/or
- The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention Services program for children with developmental delays and disabilities. This program is managed by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning. To include a child receiving early intervention services into the provider’s percentage, the following criteria must be met:
- The provider is providing child care services to the child.
- The provider is operating inclusive child care, which is defined as a program with no more than 33 percent of enrollment identified as children receiving early intervention services.
- The child must have a current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) / Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) on file at the provider.
In addition, to receive award funds, the provider must have an agreement with the local Child Care Information Services (CCIS) office and must be willing to accept for enrollment a child who qualifies for subsidy.
Qualifying facilities may receive grants and awards while in the STARS program.
Providing financial awards to facilities serving children who are vulnerable and at risk is one strategy implemented by OCDEL to promote CQI. This document is designed to assist you in creating written justifications of financial award usage and providing recommendations on making intentional decisions about award expenditures.