SUBJECT:      Policy on fees – General Child Care (CCTR)

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: ATCAA Early Childhood Services provides various program options, Head Start, State Preschool, (CPRE) and General Child Care, (CCTR). These program options have different funding requirements: The General Childcare must charge a fee if the family’s income is 75% the State Median Income Ceiling.

A. OPERATIONAL POLICY: HEAD START and STATE PRESCHOOL (CPRE)

Fees are not to be charged for participation in the Head Start, State preschool (CPRE). At no time does ATCAA Early Childhood Services solicit or encourage any payment from participating families or conditions a child’s enrollment or participation in the Head Start or State preschool (CPRE) programs. However ATCAA Early Childhood Services may accept voluntary donations from a child’s family and will record the donation as program income.

B. OPERATIONAL POLICY: GENERAL CHILD CARE (CCTR)

Fees for General Child Care (CCTR) are charged according to the California Department of Education Family Fee Schedule.

Families with income less than 50% of the SMI (State Median Income) are considered to be below the State poverty level for the childcare and development programs, and no fees are assessed. 

Families with income 50% or above the SMI will pay family fees for childcare. The daily or hourly fee is determined from the Family Fee Schedule.

Pursuant to Education Code Section 8263.1 the family income eligibility ceiling is 75% of the SMI for all childcare and development programs to which the family fee schedule applies. If the family income is above the 75% SMI the family may not be eligible for services.

C. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE FOR CALCULATING AND COLLECTION OF FEES

Family fees are the family’s share of basic childcare costs paid by eligible families.  Family fee are set forth on State Median Income Family Fee Schedule. The Family Advocate will determine the fee from the schedule and write on the 9600 form section titled Family Fee. The following procedure will be used to determine the monthly cost.

D. PROCEDURE FOR BILLING and COLLECTING FAMILY FEE:

1. The Family Advocate will calculate the number of actual scheduled days of operation for the prior month.

2. The total number of scheduled days is multiplied by daily or hourly fee. This determines the family cost for the prior month.

3. The Family Advocate will stamp an agency envelope with the following and give to the family by the 3^rd day of the month.

Child’ Name: __________________________________________

Month of: ____________________________________________

# of Days: ____________________________________________

Daily Fee: ____________________________________________

Amount Due: __________________________________________

Date Due: ______________________________________________

(This amount is due within 7 days of this notice)

4. If a check is returned for: Non Sufficient Funds” (NSF) a $5.00 service fee will be added to the     original amount due.

5. The Family Advocate will write a triplicate receipt upon receiving the fee. The white copy remains in the book, the yellow copy goes to the parent and pink copy goes to the ATCAA office.

6. All fees collected will be placed in the cash box and locked in a file cabinet.

7. In Jackson the cash box will be taken to the ATCAA office by the 10^th of each month and given to the fiscal person. In Sonora the cash box will be taken to ECS office and given to the Management Assistant.

8. All fees paid will be tracked on the fee spreadsheet which will be kept in the file drawer with children’s files and on the computer.

9. Fees will be considered delinquent after seven (7) calendar days from the date fees were due.

E. PROCEDURE FOR LATE FEE:

1. If a family is 7 days delinquent the Family Advocate will give the family a Notice of Action to inform the family of the delinquent amount due. The family will then have 14 business days after receiving the Notice of Action to pay the amount due. If the family does not pay the amount due the child care may be terminated.

2. ATCAA Early Childhood Family Services Manager or designee will accept a reasonable plan from the family to pay delinquent fees.  ATCAA will continue to provide child care, provided the family makes every effort to pay the delinquent and current fees.

3. If the family fails to pay the delinquent fees according to the agreement the program can terminate child care services. The family will not be eligible for child care until the delinquent fees are paid.

F. SUBJECT: GENERAL CHILD CARE LATE PICK UP FEE POLICY:

Families' contracted hours for child care are documented on the 9600 form and the Childcare Fee Agreement Form and late fees will be charge if a parent fails to pick up his/her child by 5:30 PM.

1. If a parent is late picking up his/her child the teacher or Family Advocate will document in the file and give the parent a verbal warning.

2. The second time a parent is late picking up his/her child, a charge of $1.00 per minute will be charged.  The teacher will document the sign in/out sheet with the time. The sign in/out sheet will become the official record for late charges. The Family Advocate will add the late charge to the child care fees.

3. If a parent is late a third time the chare will increase to $2.00 per minute. The teacher will record the time on the sign in sheet.. The above procedure will be followed.

4. The fourth time a parent is late the child care services can be terminated.

5. The late fees must be paid each month with the families’ child care fees. If the fees are not paid within seven days of due date the child care termination process will begin.

6. Any time a parent  is more than 30 minutes late, and the parent has not contracted the school about an emergency or an unavoidable situation, Child Protection Services will be called.  If the teacher is unable to reach Child Protective services, the local Sheriff’s Department will be called to pick up the child.

7. A copy of this policy will be signed by the parent(s) and will be added to the child’s file.

edited 03/06/2008 11:17:29 AM