Department of Education

 

GDForum ID: 2760

Description of Proposed Guidance Document Changes

This update reflects recent legislative and budget directives related to copayments, job search, waitlists, and implementing provisions of House Bill 407 (from the 2024 General Assembly Session). Additionally, the manual has been revised throughout to standardize and condense language and update references to automated processes and digital record-keeping. Item 125.10 of the FY26 Virginia State Budget directs VDOE to make the following changes to copayments and family eligibility due to job search: 4. Family copayment rates for the fiscal year 2025 shall not exceed those that were in effect at the beginning of fiscal year 2024. Family copayment rates for fiscal year 2026 shall be $5 per month for households whose income is below 100% of the federal poverty level and up to 5% of annual income for all other households with no household exceeding 5% of their income. 5. Parental work and job search requirements for the fiscal year 2025 shall not exceed those that were in effect at the beginning of fiscal year 2024. Parental work and job search requirements for fiscal year 2026 shall include a time limit of 90 days for job search. Households are eligible for up to one extension for extraordinary circumstances, which shall be defined and tracked by the Department of Education. VDOE is amending Guidance accordingly to implement these statutorily required changes. Additionally, VDOE is amending guidance to comply with directives in: House Bill 407 (2024 session), which deems any family that receives public assistance through Medicaid or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to have categorically satisfied income eligibility requirements for the CCSP; and The FY25 budget, which directed VDOE to “establish an annual target at the local level for the number of children that may be served by available funds and ensure that each locality has mechanisms in place for maintaining waitlists if family demand exceeds the targets.” Under the Governor’s Building Blocks for Virginia Families initiative, available slots are to be prioritized for children ages birth to 5, not yet in kindergarten.

 

Guidance Document(s) for this Comment Forum

Document ID	Document Title	Current Document	Proposed Document	Revised Proposed
Early Childhood	Child Care Subsidy Program Guidance Manual	Old Version Removed	Proposed Document	Revised Proposed	Posted with additional changes on 11/7/2025

 

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