1.2 CCDF Policy Decision Authority

The Lead Agency has broad authority to administer (i.e., establish rules) and operate (i.e., implement activities) the CCDF program through other governmental, non-governmental, or public or private local agencies as long as the Lead Agency retains overall responsibility for the administration of the program. Administrative and implementation responsibilities undertaken by agencies other than the Lead Agency must be governed by written agreements that specify the mutual roles and responsibilities of the Lead Agency and other agencies in meeting the program requirements. 1.2.1 Entity establishing CCDF program rules Which of the following CCDF program rules and policies are administered (i.e., set or established) at the State or Territory level or local level? Identify whether CCDF program rules and policies are established by the State or Territory (even if operated locally) or whether the CCDF policies or rules are established by local entities, such as counties or workforce boards. Check one of the following: a. [x] All program rules and policies are set or established by the State or Territory. (If checked, skip to question 1.2.2.) b. [ ] Some or all program rules and policies are set or established by local entities or agencies. If checked, indicate which entities establish the following policies. Check all that apply: i. Eligibility rules and policies (e.g., income limits) are set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: ii. Sliding-fee scale is set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: iii. Payment rates and payment policies are set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: iv. Licensing standards and processes are set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: v. Standards and monitoring processes for license-exempt providers are set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: vi. Quality improvement activities, including QIS, are set by the: [ ] State or Territory. [ ] Local entity (e.g., counties, workforce boards, early learning coalitions). [ ] Other. Identify the entity and describe the policies the entity can set: vii. Other. List and describe any other program rules and policies that are set at a level other than the State or Territory level: 1.2.2 Entities implementing CCDF services The Lead Agency has broad authority to operate (i.e., implement activities) through other agencies, as long as it retains overall responsibility for CCDF. Complete the table below to identify which entity(ies) implements or performs CCDF services. Check the box(es) to indicate which entity(ies) implement or perform CCDF services. CCDF Activity CCDF Lead Agency TANF Agency Local Government Agencies CCR&R Other Who conducts eligibility determinations? [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Who assists parents in locating child care (consumer education)? [x] [ ] [ ] [x] [ ] Describe: CCDF Activity CCDF Lead Agency TANF Agency Local Government Agencies CCR&R Other Who issues payments? [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Who monitors licensed providers? [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Who monitors license-exempt providers? [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: CCDF Activity CCDF Lead Agency TANF Agency Local Government Agencies CCR&R Other Who operates the quality improvement activities? [x] [ ] [ ] [x] [x] Describe: Cultivate Learning at the University of Washington provides technical support, data collection, and coding for all components of the Quality Recognition cycle within Early Achievers. Cultivate Learning also produces professional development materials and trainings for the WA state ECE coaching and provider audiences. Centralia College also provides education verification for professional development points in Early Achievers. 1.2.3 Information systems availability For any activities performed by agencies other than the Lead Agency as reported above in 1.2.1 and 1.2.2, identify the processes the Lead Agency uses to oversee and monitor CCDF administration and implementation activities to retain overall responsibility for the CCDF program. Check and describe how the Lead Agency includes in its written agreements the required elements. Note: The contents of the written agreement may vary based on the role the agency is asked to assume or type of project but must include, at a minimum, the elements below. a. Tasks to be performed. [x] Yes. If yes, describe: DCYF uses the Contracts and Procurement System (CAPS) to track all contracts paid for with CCDF funds. Contracts include a Statement of Work that describes all tasked to be performed. The Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA) contract indicated above under CCR&R includes the following tasks: - ￿Family Center￿ and support for families experiencing homelessness - Quality Rating and Improvement System Activities (Early Achievers) - Coaching, Consultation, and Technical Assistance - Professional Development/Training - Professional development management and coordination, training delivery of mandated training requirements - Scholarships for Early Learning Professionals [ ] No. If no, describe: b. Schedule for completing tasks. [x] Yes. If yes, describe: Contracts in CAPS include the contract document itself, which contains a Statement of Work section with a schedule of deliverables with timelines for each associated task and payment points for task completion according to the schedule. Within the contracts system, deliverables are tracked by state fiscal year and deliverable number within the fiscal year, title, notes on due date, description, and due date. [ ] No. If no, describe: c. Budget which itemizes categorical expenditures in accordance with CCDF requirements. [x] Yes. If yes, describe: In the budget section of CAPS, expenditures are tracked by fiscal year, sequence number, payment point, quantity, unit, unit cost, and budget. Budget amounts are totaled by fiscal year and by federal grant award type. CCDF grant awards are differentiated by type (discretionary, mandatory, etc.). In the fiscal coding section of CAPS, expenditures are tracked by fiscal year, fund number, program index, sub object, and allocation code. [ ] No. If no, describe: d. Indicators or measures to assess performance of those agencies. [x] Yes. If yes, describe: All contracts that contain federal funds have Federal Certifications and Assurance attached to the contract that contain grant requirements in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations and the grant application. Written agreements include detailed statements of and work with specific deliverables, success criteria, and timelines for each. [ ] No. If no, describe: e. In addition to the written agreements identified above, describe any other monitoring and auditing processes used to oversee CCDF administration. DCYF further monitors CCA’s and Cultivate Learning's contracted work through monthly activity reports, yearly site compliance monitoring using onsite program and fiscal review for each subcontracted region, monthly leadership meetings and implementation work group meetings, quarterly scholarship advisory meetings, quarterly budget to actuals meetings, and an annual independent audit. DCYF also annually reviews a Resource and Referral Trend Report showing supply and referral demand data, analytical reports, and tables. Further, our QRIS Administrator and Senior Administrator for Workforce Growth and Professional Developoment meet monthly with the CCA and Cultivate Learning teams to review the work being done. Our Assistant Secretary of Early Learning also meets quarterly with their leadership. Deliverables are routed to program staff to review and provide feedback monthly. DCYF monitors spending monthly using a Contract Spending Report (CSR) that is tracked monthly and reviewed in comparison to the deliverables received. 1.2.4 Certification of shareable information systems. Does the Lead Agency certify that to the extent practicable and appropriate, any code or software for child care information systems or information technology for which a Lead Agency or other agency expends CCDF funds to develop is made available to other public agencies? This includes public agencies in other States for their use in administering child care or related programs. [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 1.2.5 Confidential and personally identifiable information Certification of policies to protect confidential and personally identifiable information Does the Lead Agency certify that it has policies in place related to the use and disclosure of confidential and personally identifiable information about children and families receiving CCDF assistance and child care providers receiving CCDF funds? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: