Childcare providers and working families with school-age children could receive financial support via a special appropriation introduced by the County Council yesterday.
The appropriation of nearly $7.7 million would include $1.8 million to provide grants to full day, school-age childcare services reopening in Montgomery County Public Schools buildings.
“To be eligible for a grant, child care providers must: reopen full-day, school-age childcare classrooms in MCPS buildings during the first semester of the MCPS 2020-2021 school year; have a Maryland license to operate child care in the classrooms; have a facility use license for the classrooms through the Office of Community Use of Public Facilities; and be in good standing with the State of Maryland,” according to a council press release.
Grant awards of up to $250,000 would be available to providers based on the number of classrooms opened.
The special appropriation also would provide $5.6 million to provide tuition assistance to working families “for full-day, school-age childcare services offered by childcare centers, registered family child care homes or letter of compliance programs located in the county,” the release continues.
To be eligible, families must have incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level. The income limit would not apply to foster families.
“It is incumbent upon us to help sustain a strong sector that offers equitable access to quality full day childcare to all children,” said Council President Sidney Katz (D-District 3), who initiated the special appropriation. “This investment is also critical to the county’s economic recovery, allowing furloughed child care providers to return to work and caregivers to attend to their professional responsibilities.”
A public hearing and action on the measure is scheduled for Sept. 29.
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