NC H483

Appropriates $10,000,000 in nonrecurring funds for each year of the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium to establish a pilot program providing automatic child care subsidy eligibility for preschool-age children (8 weeks to 5 years) of full-time child care teachers employed by licensed programs in North Carolina.

Eligible teachers must have completed, be completing, or enroll in an Introduction to Early Childhood class at a local community college and must commit to completing either an Early Childhood Education Infant/Toddler Certificate or Child Development Certificate within 18 months; coursework is funded through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood North Carolina Scholarship Program at no cost to teachers.

Pilot program implementation must occur within 120 days, with county selection prioritizing counties with the highest percentage of child care capacity lost in the past 10 years; child care centers must accept current market subsidy rates and cannot charge copayment or additional fees.

Division of Child Development and Early Education must submit initial report by March 31, 2024, and thereafter submit quarterly reports with annual detailed reports by December 31, tracking number of participating teachers, new teachers added monthly, teacher retention, and other relevant information.

Act becomes effective July 1, 2023.