DE SR25

Direct Department of Health and Social Services to provide quarterly reports on December 1, 2024, March 1, 2025, and June 1, 2025 detailing Purchase of Care (POC) program data including children served, spending by funding source, and demographic information for fiscal years 2023-2025.

Require reporting on POC utilization data including enrollment by care type (half-day, full-day, school-age), demographic breakdown by race and household income relative to federal poverty level, and families denied or affected by income eligibility thresholds.

Direct Department of Health and Social Services to consult with Delaware Early Childhood Council to consider policy updates on attendance, enrollment definitions, holiday/weather closures, rate-setting methodologies, and handbook revisions by January 10, 2025.

Require Department of Education to continue reporting on funding sources and children served through early care programs (ECAP, Redding, Head Start, Early Head Start, POC) broken down by age and county.

Require Department of Education to develop an electronic data collection system during licensing visits to track child care facility enrollment, capacity, waiting lists, and staffing shortages.