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provider status related to accreditation, Pre-K standards, Head Start performance standards, or State defined quality measures). Providers receive a higher rate if they are accredited and/or participating in Step Up to Quality (Nebraska's QRIS). Programs participating in Step Up to Quality are able to receive an increase to their subsidy rates once they have reached each Step 3, 4, and 5, with a 5% increase at each step.

e) How will the Lead Agency ensure that the family contribution/co-payment, based on a sliding-fee scale, is affordable and is not a barrier to families receiving CCDF funds (98.16 (k))? Check all that apply. Limit the maximum co-payment per family. Describe: .

Limit the combined amount of co-payment for all children to a percentage of family income. List the percentage of the co-payment limit and Per the recommendation of ACF, copayments are no greater than 7% of a client's income.

Minimize the abrupt termination of assistance before a family can afford the full cost of care ('the cliff effect') as part of the graduated phase-out of assistance discussed in 3.1.7.

Other. Describe:

f) To support parental choice and equal access to the full range of child care options, does the Lead Agency choose the option to allow providers to charge families additional amounts above the required co-payment in instances where the provider's price exceeds the subsidy payment (98.45(b)(5))? No Yes. If yes: i. Provide the rationale for the Lead Agency's policy to allow providers to charge families additional amounts above the required co-payment, including a demonstration of how the policy promotes affordability and access for families. Nebraska Page 121 of 314