Request for Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Waiver for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25)

Request for Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Waiver for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25)

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) may waive compliance with the minimum salary requirements for FY25 of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund if a provider demonstrates its inability to meet the minimum salary requirements without operating at an unsustainable budget deficit. For questions, email OSSE.ECEPayEquity@dc.gov.

Directions: Complete this application form and attach all required documentation to request a waiver of the minimum salary requirements for FY25.

Eligibility: Any provider who has eligible employees and enters into an agreement to participate in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25 may apply for a waiver. To be granted a waiver, a provider must meet the following requirements:

Demonstrate that projected revenues cannot cover the costs to operate while paying minimum required salaries for eligible educators, even after taking into account the provider’s anticipated award payment.
Ensure funds received from the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund will be used to increase salaries or wages for eligible teachers and assistant teachers, cover taxes and mandatory benefits associated with higher salaries or wages and/or provide health or other discretionary benefits for staff.
Agree to participate in the DC Shared Services Business Alliance (DC SSBA) support for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund program to receive technical assistance on business practices and financial sustainability, including sharing relevant business financial information as requested.

The following criteria must be met by all providers eligible to receive a waiver:

Base undiscounted tuition rates for full-time, traditional child care do not exceed the 75th percentile of child care market rates for any age group of children (or the pro-rated equivalents for part-time or school-year only care);
The provider is not operated by or in a business relationship with a for-profit child care business associated with six or more total child care facilities operating in the District or other jurisdictions;
Each participating child development facility operated by the provider must maintain enrollment at or above 30 percent of its authorized capacity;
The number of eligible educators employed by the child development facility does not exceed the following:
For a child development home or expanded child development home, the number of eligible early educators is less than the total number of enrolled children;
For a child development center, the number of lead teachers does not exceed the minimum number of teachers required to comply with OSSE licensing regulations; and
Facilities covered by the waiver deliver child care services for at least 8 hours a day.

Application Requirements: Providers applying for a waiver must submit the following information with their application:

A certified financial statement showing the program’s revenues and expenses for the most recent fiscal year available.
If a certified financial statement is not available, a provider may submit alternative documentation that details the program’s revenues and expenses.
For child care providers that received Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Funds during the most recent fiscal year available, these funds must be reflected in the revenues and expenses shown on the statement or other documentation.
Projected monthly or annual budget for FY25 showing the provider’s anticipated revenue from the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and operating costs if the provider pays all eligible teachers and assistant teachers the minimum required salaries for FY25.
A summary statement outlining why the provider is unable to meet the minimum salaries for FY25. If the provider participated in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY24 without a waiver, the statement should address why the provider can no longer meet the minimum salary requirements.
Payroll records or related documents that demonstrate the salaries paid to all eligible educators as of Sept. 30, 2024, before any adjustments related to the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25.

General Information

Provider Name:*

Name and contact information of individual completing the form:

Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Facilities included in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Provider Agreement for FY25 or Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Provider Agreement Addendum for FY25 (list all):

Facility Name:*

Facility Address:*

Facility License Number:*

Hours of Operation*

Do you have a second facility to add?*

Yes

Facility Name:

Facility Address:

Facility License Number:

Hours of Operation

Do you have a third facility to add?

Yes

Facility Name:

Facility Address:

Facility License Number:

Hours of Operation

Do you have a fourth facility to add?

Yes

Facility Name:

Facility Address:

Facility License Number:

Hours of Operation

Do you have a fifth facility to add?

Yes

Facility Name:

Facility Address:

Facility License Number:

Hours of Operation

Do you have a sixth facility to add?

Yes

Facility Name:

Facility Address:

Facility License Number:

Hours of Operation

Does the provider participate in the DC Child Care Subsidy Program?

Select

Does the provider operate a for-profit child care business associated with six or more total child care facilities operating in the District or other jurisdictions?

Select

Is the provider affiliated with any parent company, business entity or other organization?*

Select

If yes:

Name of organization/business:

Type of organization/business:

Headquarters location (city and state):

Nature of relationship:

Does the identified business/organization operate or have a business affiliation with other child care facilities in the District or other jurisdictions?

Yes

If yes, how many facilities:

Educator Compensation

1. Provide the current hourly wage or annual salary of the lowest paid employee in each of the following roles and credential level. Enter “N/A” if there no employee is currently in the indicated role/credential.

Current hourly wage or annual salary of lowest paid assistant teacher/associate caregiver with a Child Development Associate (CDA) or equivalent:

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

Current hourly wage or annual salary of lowest paid assistant teacher/associate caregiver with an associate degree or higher:

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

Current hourly wage or annual salary of lowest paid lead teacher with a CDA or equivalent:

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

Current hourly wage or annual salary of lowest paid lead teacher with an associate degree in early childhood education (ECE); associate degree with greater than or equal to 12 credit hours in ECE; or 60 hours of college-level coursework with greater than or equal to 12 credit hours in ECE:

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

Current hourly wage or annual salary of lowest paid lead teacher with a bachelor’s degree or higher in ECE or bachelor’s degree or higher with greater than or equal to 12 credit hours in ECE:

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

2. Provide the current hourly wage or annual salary of the highest paid employee of the facility, provider business, or any business entity listed in response to the above question:

Staff type/role:*

Highest degree/credential, if known:*

Wage/salary:*

Hourly or annual?*

Hourly

Annual

Employee Health Benefits

Does the provider offer employer-sponsored health insurance coverage?*

Yes

If yes, does the provider participate in HealthCare4ChildCare?*

Yes

Facility Enrollment

Provide current (as of the date of waiver application submission) child enrollment information to support OSSE’s understanding of the provider’s available revenues.

Facility 1:

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Do you have a second facility to add?*

Select or enter value

Facility 2:

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Do you have a third facility to add?

Select or enter value

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Do you have a fourth facility to add?*

Select or enter value

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Do you have a fifth facility to add?

Select or enter value

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Do you have a sixth facility to add?

Select or enter value

Number of infants enrolled*

Number of toddlers enrolled*

Number of preschoolers enrolled*

Number of school-age children enrolled*

Financial Information

What was the undiscounted tuition rate for each child newly enrolling in your program as of Oct. 1, 2024? (Note: This rate should not reflect sibling discounts, sliding fee scale application, or other discounts the program provides to children/families. If your program enrolls children annually, on a school-year calendar, please provide the most recent rates for school year 2024-25.)

What was the tuition rate for infants (0-12 months) as of Oct. 1, 2024?

What frequency does the above rate represent?

Select

If other, please describe:

What is the tuition rate for toddlers (12-36 months) as of Oct. 1, 2024?

What frequency does the above rate represent?

Select

If other, please describe:

What is the tuition rate for preschoolers (3-5 years) as of Oct. 1, 2024?

What frequency does the above rate represent?

Select

If other, please describe:

Has your program’s tuition increased since Oct. 1, 2024?

Select

If so, please describe changes to the above tuition rates:

What were the provider’s gross revenues for the most recent fiscal year for which data is available?

Indicate dollar amount.*

Indicate year.*

What were the provider’s total expenses for the most recent fiscal year for which data is available?

Indicate dollar amount.*

Indicate year.*

What is the provider’s projected annual or monthly operating budget if all eligible teachers and assistant teachers were paid the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund minimum salaries in FY25:

Do you wish to enter your annual or monthly operating budget?*

Annual

Monthly

Dollar amount for frequency chosen:*

Summary Statement of Need

Describe why the provider is unable to meet the minimum salaries for FY25:*

If you participated in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY24 and did not have a waiver, please explain why you are seeking a waiver for FY25.

Reason for seeking a waiver:

Required Documents

The following documents must be attached to your waiver application:

Payroll records or related documents that demonstrate the salaries and hours worked paid to all eligible educators as of Sept. 30, 2024, before any adjustments related to the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25.

A certified financial statement showing the program’s revenues and expenses for the most recent fiscal year available. If a certified financial statement is unavailable, submit alternative documentation that details the program’s revenues and expenses for the most recent fiscal year.

Projected monthly or annual operating budget for FY25 showing anticipated revenue from the facility’s CDF payroll funding formula award and facility operating costs if the provider were to pay all eligible teachers and assistant teachers the minimum required salaries under the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25.

Authorized Representative Form: This form identifies the individual authorized to sign the waiver request on behalf of the provider. The signature of the authorized representative indicates understanding and agreement to the terms and conditions of the waiver, as well as testament that supporting documents are attached.

File Upload*

Drag and drop files here or

Certification

By checking the following boxes, I certify that if approved for a waiver, [Provider name] will do the following:

Submit to OSSE no later than March 1, 2025 and in the format requested by OSSE, a salary schedule that describes the wages or salaries that the provider will pay to eligible teachers or assistant teachers following receipt of the first quarterly CDF payroll funding formula award.*

Submit payroll records or related documents, in the format prescribed by OSSE, to demonstrate that eligible educator’s wages or salaries are in accordance with the provider’s approved salary schedule, following receipt of the first quarterly CDF payroll funding formula and for the remainder of FY25.*

Submit financial data showing that CDF payroll funding formula awards are used in only the following ways:*

a. to raise wages or compensation of eligible teachers and assistant teachers, including associated payroll taxes.

b. to pay administrative costs associated with implementing the salary scales and meeting OSSE requirements related to the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund as outlined in the Provider Agreement.

c. to pay costs of health and other fringe benefits for early childhood educators and other child development facility employees.

Upon request from OSSE or its designees, submit the following information in the format requested:*

a. Monthly child enrollment data

b. Annual operating budget

c. Certified financial statements

d. Most recent available annual tax filing

Participate in the DC SSBA support for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund program.*

If approved for a waiver, I understand the following terms will apply:

Waivers are issued at the discretion of OSSE and may be revoked by OSSE at any time, upon violation of any condition attached to the waiver.
Approved waivers will be in effect for the remainder of FY25 and will be revoked with the termination of an Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Provider Agreement in FY25 or Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Provider Agreement Addendum in FY25.
Providers with approved waivers will be subject to increased Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund monitoring in FY25.
Noncompliance with the terms of the waiver shall void the waiver and require compliance with the minimum salary requirements in FY25. Non-compliance with minimum salaries in FY25 without an approved waiver will result in a non-compliance finding for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund program in FY25.
Should a facility that holds a waiver choose to terminate its participation in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25, OSSE will continue enhanced monitoring of the provider’s compliance during all quarters for which the provider received a CDF funding formula award payment and may issue a noncompliance finding if a provider is found to be out of compliance with the terms of its waiver during the period in which it was participating in the program.
Providers operating under a waiver who terminate their participation in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in FY25 may not apply for another waiver in FY25 should they attempt to rejoin the program.

I have read and agree to the terms of the waiver.*

I affirm that, to my knowledge, all information in this application is authentic and accurate.*

Name of authorized representative:*

Date:*

(Signature indicates understanding and agreement to the terms and conditions of the waiver listed above, as well as testament that supporting documents are attached.)

Send me a copy of my responses

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