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to implement the reauthorized CCDBG Act. The CCDBG Act made sweeping statutory changes that required significant reforms to the District’s Child Development Facility regulations to raise the health, safety, and quality standards of child care, ensure more stable child care assistance to families, and enhance the consumer outreach and education for families. These new requirements reflect current research on the importance of stable, high quality early experiences to children's future success. In addition, studies have shown the increasing cost of child care and the important role of financial assistance in helping parents afford child care.

The implementing regulations, amending 45 C.F.R. Parts 98 and 99, add new detailed requirements that are either directly mandated by or advance the revised intent of the CCDBG Act. The relevant major provisions of the CCDBG Act provide requirements to: (1) protect the health and safety of children in child care; (2) help parents make informed consumer choices and access information to support child development; and (3) enhance the quality of child care and the early childhood workforce.

First, the CCDBG Act established minimum health and safety standards including mandatory criminal background checks, annual monitoring of providers, and specific health and safety trainings. Accordingly, children cared for in licensed child development facilities in the District will be cared for by caregivers who have had basic training in health and safety practices and child development. Parents will know that individuals who care for their children do not have prior criminal records that indicate potential endangerment of their children. These changes to the District’s licensing scheme not only conforms with the requirements set forth by the federal government but recognizes that health and safety is a necessary foundation for quality child care that supports early learning and development.

Second, the CCDBG Act increased consumer education requirements for the District and made clear that parents need transparent information about health and safety practices, monitoring results, and the quality of child care providers. Currently information on OSSE’s licensing and monitoring process is available at (insert URL with flow charts). By November 19, 2017 the results of monitoring visits and substantiated complaints must be made available on an OSSE website. To further support this provision of the CCDBG Act, the District is implementing an enhanced quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), to assist providers in improving the quality of care. In addition, the CCDBG Act requires that all licensing inspectors, who conduct pre-licensure inspections and monitoring visits, are qualified to inspect the facilities and have received training in related health and safety requirements appropriate to provider setting and age of children served.

Finally, the CCDBG Act requires the District to implement training and professional development standards for caregivers. The implementing regulations build on this requirement by outlining the components of a professional development framework. The CCDBG Act emphasized the fundamental importance of the caregiver in a high-quality early learning setting, and this final rulemaking helps ensure that early childhood professionals have the knowledge and skills they need to support the health and development of young children.

While the CCDBG Act does provide some flexibility to states in developing child care policies, the implementing regulations clearly provide where states have and do not have opportunities to