DCF 203.02(7)
(7) "Family day care center" means a day care center that provides care and supervision for 4 to 8 children.
DCF 203.02(8)
(8) "Group day care center" means a day care center that provides care and supervision for 9 or more children.
DCF 203.02(9)
(9) "High population county" means a county with a population of over 300 people per square mile.
DCF 203.02(10)
(10) "High poverty area" means a county with 25 or more AFDC cases per thousand population.
DCF 203.02(11)
(11) "Licensing standards" means the standards under s.
48.65, Stats., which must be met in order for a license to be granted to a group day care center or family day care center.
DCF 203.02(12)
(12) "Low population county" means a county with a population of fewer than 30 people per square mile.
DCF 203.02 Note
Note: References to "department" refer to the department of children and families.
DCF 203.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1997, No. 498, eff. 7-1-97; correction in (5) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register January 2003 No. 565; corrections in (6), (13) and (14) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6. and 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
DCF 203.03
DCF 203.03
Higher quality standards for group day care centers. To be eligible for a grant under
s. DCF 203.05, a group day care center shall:
DCF 203.03(2)
(2) Have had no enforcement action taken against it for at least 3 years; and
DCF 203.03(3)
(3) Shall submit a plan for meeting the following standards if it is applying for a quality improvement grant, or shall meet the following standards if it is applying for a staff retention grant:
DCF 203.03(3)(a)
(a) The center is accredited by the national association for the education of young children, as documented by a certificate of accreditation;
DCF 203.03 Note
Note: For a copy of the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Accreditation Criteria & Procedures of the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (Washington, DC: rev. ed., 1991), write National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. That publication may be consulted at the Department's Bureau of Early Childhood Education and at the Legislative Reference Bureau.
DCF 203.03(3)(b)
(b) The center has written job descriptions and written personnel policies that include provisions for compensation with increments based on staff performance and additional child care professional development, and that cover staff resignations and terminations, benefits and grievance procedures. A collective bargaining agreement may satisfy this requirement;
DCF 203.03(3)(c)
(c) The center has benefit packages for teachers, program directors and administrators which include annual paid leave and sick leave or personal needs leave, and medical insurance. One or more other benefit options such as retirement, subsidized child care or education benefits may be substituted for or combined with medical insurance. A collective bargaining agreement may satisfy this requirement;
DCF 203.03(3)(d)
(d) All child care teachers at the center shall be qualified under
s. DCF 251.05 (1) (d) shall have a minimum of a child development associate credential or a one-year degree in early childhood education or child development or equivalent or is completing a training plan to meet these standards within one year of the date of initial accreditation;
DCF 203.03(3)(e)
(e) The program director at the center shall be qualified under
s. DCF 251.05 (1) (c) and shall have a minimum of a bachelor of arts degree in early childhood education or child development and at least 3 years of full-time teaching experience with young children or equivalent or is completing a training plan to meet this standard within one year after the date of initial accreditation;
DCF 203.03(3)(f)
(f) The center conducts an annual program evaluation that examines the adequacy of staff compensation and benefits and rates of staff turnover, and subsequently develops and updates a plan to increase salaries and benefits to assure the recruitment and retention of qualified staff; and
DCF 203.03(3)(g)
(g) Staff turnover at the center in the last 12 months is 20 percent or less or the center has a plan to meet this standard.
DCF 203.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1997, No. 498, eff. 7-1-97; corrections in (intro.), (1), (3) (d) and (e) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
DCF 203.04
DCF 203.04
Higher quality standards for family day care centers. To be eligible for a grant under
s. DCF 203.05, a family day care center shall:
DCF 203.04(2)
(2) Have had no enforcement action taken against it for at least 3 years; and
DCF 203.04(3)
(3) Shall submit a plan for meeting the following standards if it is applying for a quality improvement grant, or shall meet the following standards if it is applying for a staff retention grant:
DCF 203.04(3)(a)
(a) The center is accredited by the national association of family day care or the Wisconsin early childhood association, or the operator has a child development associate credential for family day care.
DCF 203.04 Note
Note: For a copy of the National Association for Family Child Care accreditation standards, write National Association for Family Child Care Accreditation Program, 3717 E. Ridge Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. For a copy of the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association's Family Child Care Accreditation Criteria and Procedures (Madison, WI: 1992), write Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, 1245 East Washington Ave., Suite 260, Madison, WI 53703. For a copy of standards for a child development associate credential, write Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, CDA National Credentialing Program, 1341 G Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005-3105. Those publications may be consulted at the Department's Bureau of Early Childhood Education and at the Legislative Reference Bureau.
DCF 203.04(3)(b)
(b) The center has a written policy that when an assistant or substitute is employed, there shall be a written agreement with that person on personnel matters, which includes a job description and covers compensation, benefits, resignation and termination procedures and grievance procedures.
DCF 203.04(3)(c)
(c) The center has a written policy that when assistants and substitutes are employed, hiring practices are not discriminatory.
DCF 203.04(3)(d)
(d) The center has a written policy that there will be a written contract with parents which provides for paid leave annually for the provider as well as leave for sickness or personal needs.
DCF 203.04(3)(e)
(e) The center provides medical insurance for employees. Other options, such as retirement, subsidized child care or educational benefits may be substituted for or combined with medical insurance.
DCF 203.04(3)(f)
(f) If the family day care provider is qualified under
s. DCF 250.04 (1), the provider has a minimum of a child development associate credential for family day care or one-year degree in early childhood education or child development or equivalent or is completing a training plan to meet this standard within one year after the date of accreditation.
DCF 203.04(3)(g)
(g) The center conducts an annual program evaluation with participation of parents, which includes discussion of the provider's income and benefits.
DCF 203.04 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1997, No. 498, eff. 7-1-97; corrections in (1) and (3) (f) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7, Stats.,
Register January 2003 No. 565; corrections in (intro.), (1) and (3) (f) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
DCF 203.05
DCF 203.05
Staff retention and quality improvement grants. DCF 203.05(1)(1) A
vailability of grants. Grants are available for child care providers who meet the higher quality of care standards under
s. DCF 203.03 or
203.04 to improve the retention of skilled and experienced child care staff and to assist in meeting the higher quality of care standards.
DCF 203.05(2)
(2) Application. Application for a staff retention or quality improvement grant shall be made in response to a request for proposals issued by the department's office of child care and in accordance with the application forms and application instructions included in the request for proposals.
DCF 203.05(3)
(3) Use of funds. Funds awarded to eligible group day care centers or family day care homes under this subsection may only be used to defray costs that are directly related to attaining or maintaining the higher quality standards specified in
ss. DCF 203.03 and
203.04.
DCF 203.05(4)
(4) Evaluation criteria. A quality improvement or staff retention grant application either from or on behalf of a licensed group day care center or a licensed family day care home shall be evaluated using all of the following criteria to determine if the applicant meets or will meet the higher quality standards and intends to use grant funds to retain trained staff or to meet the higher quality standards:
DCF 203.05(4)(a)
(a) The project objectives are consistent with the purpose of the grant program and address the achievements of high quality standards and retention of trained staff;
DCF 203.05(4)(b)
(b) Staff assigned to the project are qualified to accomplish the objectives;
DCF 203.05(4)(c)
(c) The work plan is clear and tied to realistic and achievable objectives;
DCF 203.05(4)(d)
(d) The applicant's budget request is clear and accurate and the proposed uses and amounts of requested funds are reasonable for the scope of the project and the number of children served at sites involved in the project; and
DCF 203.05(4)(e)
(e) Other criteria as set out in the department's request for proposals.
DCF 203.05(5)
(5) Geographic priority areas. All applications meeting eligibility and submission requirements shall be reviewed and priority points may be awarded for services located in one or more of the following areas but not for both
pars. (c) and
(d) areas:
DCF 203.05 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1997, No. 498, eff. 7-1-97; corrections in (1) and (3) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
