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July 1, 2026

115 Section 16.1.1.3 Co-located Head Start and 4K Community Approach Programs Child care authorizations must always be based on the parent’s need for child care while the parent is participating in their approved activity. However, when the 4K community approach program or Head Start program is located at the same location and address as a licensed child care program and not at a school (as listed in CSAW), the education hours may be included in the authorized hours based on the criteria listed below. The school program provider and the licensed child care provider must have the same provider number and location number in CSAW to meet the definition of co- located.

Note: 4K community approach refers to a collaborative model in Wisconsin where school districts partner with child care providers to deliver 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) at the child care provider’s location.

Head Start or 4K Community Approach If the school program is located at a different site than the licensed child care provider, the authorization must cover only the before and/or after school care outside of the school program.

The school program hours can be included in the authorized hours if all of the following are true: • The parent is engaged in his or her approved activity at least part of the school program hours; • The school program and the child care program are co-located; • The total number of hours of the child’s school program(s) is not more than four (4) hours per day; and • The total length of the child’s authorized child care day is five (5) or more hours per day (the school program hours are included in this total).

If any of these requirements are not met, the authorization must not include the school program hours.

Agency workers must ask the parent if each of the above requirements are met (with yes or no answers). Parents can self-declare the answers to these questions. Agency workers must document whether the criteria for including the education hours in the authorized hours are met in case comments (see 12.2).

Example 1 (Different locations): Charlie attends the Head Start program located at 1256 Water Street and the licensed child care program that is located at 1536 Water Street. Charlie’s authorization is limited to the hours he will spend at the licensed child care program located at 1536 Water Street because the child care and the Head Start programs are in different locations.