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Child Care Scholarship Program Briefing 02.04.2026 4 Key Changes to CCS to Support Families and Providers. State Median Income What is State Median Income (SMI)? SMI varies based on household size and is used to determine CCS eligibility. For example, a household of four (2 adults and 2 children) has an SMI of $154,117. At 75% of SMI, the income threshold for CCS eligibility for that family is $115,587. Federal Poverty Guidelines and State Median Income Estimates for FY26 https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ocs/COMM_LIHEAP_IM2025- 02_SMIStateTable_Att4.pdf Income Eligibility Thresholds as a Percent of State Median Income (SMI) Provider Payment Rate as a Percentile of Market Rate for Child Care 2017 50% of SMI 9 percentile Current 75% of SMI 75 percentile