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State and Territory Profile

STATE/TERRITORY PROFILE - PENNSYLVANIA

This profile highlights a current innovative effort to promote a subsidy system that is child-focused, family friendly, and fair to providers. It also provides demographic information, Early Care and Education (ECE) program participation and funding, subsidy innovation and program integrity information, program quality improvement activities, and professional development and workforce initiatives. Sources and links are provided at the end of the document

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Demographics

Total Population 12 and Under
Total Population 12 and Under. Under 3-Years Old: Total 432581, Percentage 22; 3 and 4-Years Old: Total 296957 Percentage 15; 5 through 12-Years Old: Total 1223373 Percentage 63
Children Living in Working Families
Children Living in Working Families: Children under 6-Years-Old Living in Working Families with one working parent 0.283592913588108 and with two working parents 0.415670936394131; Children Ages 6 to 17-Years Old Living in Working Families with one working parent 0.279454791690259 and with two working parents 0.457218908381616
Poverty Statistics
Poverty Statistics: 0.374432521292926 are Under 6-Years Old and living Below 185% of Poverty; 0.197129976060957 are Under 6-Years Old and living Below 100% of Poverty; 0.319254850980792 are 6 to 17-Years Old and living Below 185% of Poverty; 0.157003743814452 are 6 to 17-Years Old and living Below 100% of Poverty
  Below 100% of Poverty Below 185% of Poverty
Under 6-Years Old 19.71% 37.44%
6 to 17-Years Old 15.7% 31.93%

ECE Program Participation and Funding

Percentage and Number of Children/Families Served
CCDF Average Monthly Percentage
of Children in Care By Age Group
CCDF Average Monthly Percentage<br>of Children in Care By Age Group. Under 3-Years Old: 24%; 3 and 4-Years Old: 26%; 5 through 12-Years Old: 51%
CCDF Average Monthly Number
of Children and Families Served
Average Monthly number of Children and Families Served: Children 92300 and Families 54100
Average Monthly Percentages of Children Served in All Types of Care
Licensed Providers
Average Monthly Percentages of Children Served in All Types of Care - Licensed or Regulated Providers: Center 82%, Group Home 4%, Family Home 5%, Child's Home 5%
Non-Licensed Providers
Average Monthly Percentages of Children Served in All Types of Care - Legally Operating Without Regulations: Center 0%, Group Home 0%, Family Home 6%, Child's Home 6%
Note: Unregulated provider data includes relative and non-relative care.
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)
  • Total CCDF Expenditure (Including Quality):
 $471,957,990
  • CCDF Federal Expenditure:
 $368,375,418
  • CCDF State/Territory Expenditure:
 $103,582,572
CCDF Quality Expenditures
  • Total Quality Expenditure:
 $49,088,193
  • Quality Activities (Set Aside Funds):
 $39,769,717
  • Infant and Toddler (Targeted Funds):
 $3,687,263
  • Quality Expansion Funds (Targeted Funds):
 $4,371,213
  • School-Age/Resource and Referral (Targeted Funds):
 $1,260,000
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for Child Care
  • TANF – Total Child Care Expenditure:
 $252,961,001
Bullet icon TANF – Direct Expenditure on Child Care: $68,819,001
Bullet icon TANF – Transfer to CCDF: $184,142,000
ChildCare Tax Credits
  • Tax Credit Federal Total Amount Claimed:
 $13,357,100
  • Tax Credit Federal Number of Claims:
 240,440
  • State/Territory Tax Credit Available - 2015:
 No
  • State/Territory Tax Credit Refundable:
 No
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
  • CACFP Funding:
 $124,059,456
  • Number of Family Child Care Homes Participating:
 1,395
  • Number of Child Care Centers (includes Head Start Programs) Participating:
 3,080
Head Start
  • Head Start Federal Allocation:
 $236,497,903
  • Head Start State/Territory Allocation:
 48551327
  • Number of Children Participating:
 29,955
IDEA Part B, Section 619
  • IDEA Part B Funding:
 $13,959,456
  • Number of Children Served (Ages 3- through 5-Years-Old):
 36,340
IDEA Part C
  • IDEA Part C Funding:
 $15,806,319
  • Number of Children Served (Ages Birth through 2-Years-Old):
 21,079
Pre-kindergarten
  • Pre-kindergarten Total Expenditure:
 $240,085,217
  • Enrollment (4-year-olds and under):
 29,710
Note: Total Expenditure includes all State/Territory, Local, and Federal dollars. In addition to 3 and 4-year-olds, some Pre-kindergarten programs enroll children of other ages.

CCDF Subsidy Program Administration

Income Eligibility Limit as a Percent of State Median Income (SMI)
Family Size 100% of SMI (Monthly) 85% of SMI (Monthly) Lower Than 85% of SMI,
If Used to Limit Eligibility
Amount (Monthly) Percent of SMI
Three $5,500.00 $4,675.00 $3,255 59%
SMI Year and Source:
Waiting Lists
  • The Lead Agency has an active waiting list for only certain eligible families.
Re-determination Period
  • The re-determination period is 6 months.
Coordinates or Aligns Re-determination Periods With Which Programs
  • Yes
Prioritize Services for Eligible Children and Families
  • Children with special needs receive the same priority as other CCDF-eligible families. Children receiving or within 90 days of transitioning off preventive or protective care receive guaranteed eligibility. For children with special needs, providers receive payment at their functional age instead of their chronological age.
  • Children in families with very low incomes receive priority over other CCDF-eligibility families. 0
Use of Grants and Contracts

No grant or contracts used

Payment Rates for Licensed Child Care Services -
Age Center Family Child Care
Infant 41.65/day 33.65/day
Toddler 35.65/day 29.65day
Preschool 32.65/day 27.85/day
School Age 27.05/day 25.65/day
 
Effective date of payment rates:

Market Rate Survey (MRS) Date: May 1, 2012

Payment rate ceiling in relations to the most current MRS for all rate areas and age categories: Center 2nd-32nd percentile; FCC 6th-22nd percentile
Differential Rates
Differential rates are used for the following types of care:
  • higher quality care
Sliding Fee Scale and Family Contribution
Minimum Family Contribution Maximum Family Contribution for First Child Maximum Family Contribution for Multiple Children Sliding Fee Scale Effective Date
$5.00/week $95.00/week $272.00/week
Family Contribution Waiver
SOME families ARE NOT required to pay a fee.

Health and Safety

Number of Licensed Programs and Licensed Capacity
Type Number of Licensed Programs Licensed Capacity
Child Care Centers 4,675 329849
Family Child Care Homes 2,696 16200
Group Family Child Care Homes 805 9660
Definition of Licensed Group and Family Child Care Homes
Group Child Care Homes:Number of children allowed* 7-12 (plus 3 SAC)
Family Child Care Homes: Number of children allowed 4-6
*Lower number is the threshold for licensing. Home-based providers caring for fewer children would be exempt from licensing.
Child-Staff Ratios and Group Size by Age of Children for Child Care Centers
Age of Children Child-Staff Ratio Group Size
Infant (11 months) 4:1 8
Toddler (35 months) 6:1 12
Preschool (59months) 10:1 20
School-age (6 years) 12:1 24
School-age (10 years and older) 15:1 30
Criminal Background Checks Required by Type of Program
Type Child Care Centers Group Child Care Homes Family Child Care Homes
Criminal History Records Yes Yes Yes
Child Abuse and Neglect Registry Yes Yes Yes
Fingerprints Yes Yes Yes
Sex Offender Registry No No No
Signed Statement About Criminal Status Yes No Yes
Minimum Preservice Qualifications and Ongoing Training Requirements
Role Minimum Preservice Qualifications Ongoing Training Hours
Center Teacher High school diploma or equivalent an 2 years of experience 6
Center Director Associate’s degree with 30 credits in ECE, child development, special education, elementary education, or the human services field, and 4 years of experience 6
Family Child Care Home Provider None 12 over 2 years
Group Child Care Home Provider High school diploma and 2 years of experience working with children 6
Types of Routine Visits Conducted
Type Announced Unannounced Frequency of Routine Visits
Child Care Centers No Yes Once a year
Family Child Care Home Provider Facility not inspected Facility not inspected Facility not inspected
Group Child Care Home Provider No Yes Once a year

Quality Improvement

Program Standards
  • Standards have provisions about the care of the following groups of children:
    • Infants and toddlers
    • School-age children
    • Children with special needs
Supports to Programs to Improve Quality
  • TA is available for attaining and maintaining licensing compliance
 Yes
  • TA is available for attaining and maintaining quality standards beyond licensing
 Yes
  • TA is available for attaining and maintaining accreditation
 No
  • TA is linked to entering the QRIS or targeted to help programs move in QRIS
 Yes
Financial Incentives and Supports for Programs
  • Grants to meet or maintain licensing
 No
  • Grants to meet QRIS or similar quality levels
 Yes
  • One-time awards or bonuses on completion of quality standard attainment
 Yes
  • Tiered reimbursement tied to quality for children receiving subsidy
 Yes
  • On-going, periodic grants or stipends tied to improving/maintaining quality
 Yes
  • Tax credits tied to meeting program quality standards
 No
Quality Assurance and Monitoring
  • Environment Rating Scale (e.g., ECERS, ITERS, SACERS, FDCRS)
 Yes
  • Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
 Yes
  • Program Assessment Scales (PAS) for child care centers or Business Administration Scale (BAS) for family child care homes
 Yes
  • State/Territory uses customized instrument, including submission of written documentation, developed for the quality improvement system
 No
Outreach and Consumer Education
  • State/Territory uses symbols or simple icons to communicate levels of quality for child care programs
 Yes
  • State/Territory uses this information for resource and referral and consumer education services with parents who are seeking care
 Yes
  • State/Territory uses this information to educate parents who are enrolling in the subsidy system
 Yes
  • State/Territory uses this information in a searchable database on the web
 Yes
  • State/Territory promotes voluntarily posting symbols or icons visibly in programs
 Yes
  • State/Territory mandates posting symbols or icons visibly in programs
 Yes
  • State/Territory uses this information in marketing and public awareness campaigns
 No
  • State/Territory uses the media to reach public to parents and the communicate about levels of quality for child care programs
 Yes
Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)
  • State/Territory has a QRIS or similar quality improvement system that includes linked activities in all five elements
 
Bullet icon Operating state/territory-wide Yes
Bullet icon Operating as a pilot or in a few localities No
  • State/Territory is in the development phase of a QRIS or similar quality improvement system
 No
  • State/Territory has no plans for the development of a QRIS or similar quality improvement system
 No
  • Types of providers eligible to participate in QRIS:
    • Child care centers
    • Group child care homes
    • Family child care homes
    • License-exempt providers
    • Early Head Start programs
    • Head Start programs
    • School-age programs

Early Learning Standards

ELGs Developed by Age Group
  • Birth to 3 years
  • 3 to 5 years
  • 5 years and older
Incorporation of Early Learning Guidelines into Child Care Systems
  • Incorporation of Early Learning Guidelines into Child Care Systems:
    • To define the content of training required for the career lattice or professional credential
    • To require programs in licensing standards to develop curriculum/learning activities based on the voluntary ELGs
    • To require programs in quality improvement standards to develop curriculum/learning activities based on the voluntary ELGs
    • To develop State/Territory -approved curricula
A table of Alignment of Early Learning Guidelines with Other Early Care and Education Systems
  • The State/Territory aligns its early learning guidelines with other parts of the child care system:
    • Cross-walked to align with Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework
    • Cross-walked to align with K-12 content standards

Coordination

Coordination and Partnership Efforts to Support the Implementation of CCDF
  • Formal early childhood and/or school-age coordination plans
 Yes
  • Designated entity responsible for coordination- state/territory-wide early childhood and/or school-age cabinet/advisory council/task force/ commission
 No
  • Designated entity responsible for coordination- state advisory council
 Yes
  • Designated entity responsible for coordination- local coordination/council
 No

Footnotes

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