Child care fees change to maintain quality services

  • Published
  • By Lisa Daniel
  • American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  The Department of Defense is adjusting its child care fees and adding categories for its highest income earners to compensate for six years without fee range increases, Pentagon officials announced July 30.

The department's Military and Community Family Policy Office has added three categories to the top of its fee schedule to go into effect by Sept. 30, said Barbara Thompson, the director of the office of family policy, children and youth.

The adjustment brings the number of fee categories to nine, causing some people to move into different categories, Ms. Thompson said. In the previous fee schedule, which has been in effect since 2004, everyone with a total family income of $70,001 or more was in Category VI, the top level, and paid an average of $124 per child per week.

Under the new schedule, families with a total family income between $73,501 and $85,000 will be in Category VI, and will pay $122-$130 per child per week, still less than $3 per hour for a 50-hour week, Ms. Thompson said.

According to Shandy Scott, 17th Force Support Squadron Child Development/Youth Programs director, the change will have a minimal impact to the 215 youths enrolled at the School-Age and Child Development programs here, however, customers need to have their current category re-evaluated by bringing a current leave and earnings statement to their program no later than Sept. 16. If a new LES isn't provided by then, they will automatically be placed into Category IX.

"Going from six to nine categories means some families may be placed in a lower category," she said. "There will also be a 10 percent discount for additional children enrolled our programs."

NEW FEE SCHEDULED:
  • Category I - incomes of $29,400 or below will pay between $44-$59 per week;
  • Category II - incomes from $29,401 - $35,700 will pay between $60-$74 per week;
  • Category III - incomes from $35,701 - $46,200 will pay between $75-$90 per week;
  • Category IV - incomes from $46,201 - $57,750 will pay between $91-$105 per week;
  • Category V - incomes from $57,751 - $73,500 will pay between $106-$121 per week;
  • Category VI - incomes from $73,501 - $85,000 will pay between $122-$130 per week;
  • Category VII - incomes from $85,001 - $100,000 will pay between $131-$133 per week;
  • Category VIII - incomes from $100,001 - $125,000 will pay between $134-$136 per week;
  • Category IX - incomes of $125,001 or above will pay between $137-$139 per week.
There is a high-cost option for installations that meet specific criteria due to the high cost of living and high staff salaries.

Military child care is known as a model for the nation, and funding is evenly split by fees and federal subsidies, Ms. Thompson said.

The increased fees are necessary to maintain high quality of care, she said.
The changes come after two years of study that found the fees were not keeping up with inflation and family income, Ms. Thompson said.

"We understand that these are tough economic times for families, but we did this very deliberately after careful study," she said. "When you look at what you're getting for your child care fees, it's a wonderful opportunity in a high-quality care environment."

(Connie Hempel, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)