Section 01 - Eligibility Criteria

IMPORTANT CHILD CARE INFORMATION

Each month we will post a selection of general child care policy questions received during the previous month. The questions and answers contain no case-specific information and do not identify the CCR&R or Site Provider asking the question.  If you need additional information about the questions and answers, please e-mail Nancy Vereen at nancy.vereen@illinois.gov or call her at 217/524-5832.

Note: The questions and answers posted here will not be archived. When new questions and answers are posted, the previous ones will be deleted. In this way, we will ensure that the information you find here will always be correct and current.

Policy 01.03.03 - Non-TANF Education and Training

Q:  If we receive a new application requesting child care during class time, and the client indicates they've attended college before and they supply their cumulative GPA from the past semester, do we deny the application if they are not meeting the GPA requirements?  Are they not eligible for a grace period semester if they are not a current client?

A:  A student must meet all eligibility requirements according to the type of educational program they are attending.  A student applying for care to earn a 2 yr/4 yr. degree must have a 2.5 GPA (or a 2.0 GPA and be working 20 hours per week) unless he/she is a new student who has not yet earned a GPA.  If the applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements, he/she must be denied.  A grace period is only available to an active client.  At no time shall a parent begin the CCAP program on a grace period.

Q:  If a client is in an ESL (below post-secondary) program coming upon the 24th month - does that mean they start over with the start of the new policy?  Does that mean the same for clients completing the 4th year of a degree program? 

A:  Changes have not been made to the eligibility requirements for Below Post-secondary and occupational/vocational training programs; consequently, the clock to determine when the work requirement begins should not be reset. Students in both below post-secondary and vocational programs must work 20 hours or more per week beginning in their 25th month of participation.

An active client enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year degree program shall have their clock reset since eligibility requirements for this program type changed.