(325 ILCS 85/95-10)

Sec. 95-10. Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program.

(a) The Department of Human Services shall create and establish the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program. The purpose of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program is to invest in early childhood education and care service providers, including, but not limited to, providers participating in the Child Care Assistance Program; to expand the supply of high-quality early childhood education and care; and to create a strong and stable early childhood education and care system with attractive wages, high-quality services, and affordable cost.

(b) The purpose of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program is to stabilize community-based early childhood education and care service providers, raise the wages of early childhood educators, and support quality enhancements that can position service providers to participate in other public funding streams, such as Preschool for All, in order to further enhance and expand quality service delivery.

(c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall implement the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program for eligible licensed day care centers, licensed day care homes, and licensed group day care homes by October 1, 2024, or as soon as practicable, following completion of a planning and transition year. By October 1, 2025, or as soon as practicable, and for each year thereafter, subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall continue to operate the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program annually with all licensed day care centers and licensed day care homes, and licensed group day care homes that meet eligibility requirements. The Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program shall operate separately from and shall not supplant the Child Care Assistance Program as provided for in Section 9A-11 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(d) The Department of Human Services shall adopt administrative rules by October 1, 2024, to facilitate administration of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program, including, but not limited to, provisions for program eligibility, the application and funding calculation process, eligible expenses, required wage floors, and requirements for financial and personnel reporting and monitoring requirements. Eligibility and funding provisions shall be based on appropriation and a current model of the cost to provide child care services by a licensed child care center or licensed family child care home.

(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)