Statement of Introduction
Facility Allowance for Child Development Centers Amendment Act of 2021
Councilmember Christina Henderson
May 17, 2021
Today, along with Councilmembers Brianne K. Nadeau, Brooke Pinto, Anita Bonds, Elissa
Silverman, Mary C. Cheh, and Robert C. White Jr., I am introducing the Facility Allowance for
Child Development Centers Amendment Act of 2021. This legislation will help ensure that all of
the 45,000 children in the District under age 5 including those that live in poverty have
access to child development facilities that are high quality and affordable.
The early years of a childs life are critically formative. According to the Schuyler Center, 75%
of brain growth and 85% of intellectual, personality, and social development occurs before age 5.
Further, the Center for American Progress reports that children enrolled in high-quality early
learning programs are less likely to need special education services during their K-12 years, are
less likely to commit juvenile offenses, and more likely to graduate from high school. A solid
foundation of emotional, social, and cognitive skills built in early childhood greatly improves
long-term outcomes and the likelihood of maturing into a stable adult.
In the District, the 2013 Baseline Quality Study and Workforce Survey conducted by Great Start
DC found that infants and toddlers of the District of Columbia are receiving minimal early care
and education. Furthermore, the quality of infant and toddler early care and education in lower
income Wards is disproportionally low compared to Wards with higher incomes. Children in the
District would benefit from having more consistent access to quality day care centers and it
would positively impact their trajectories.
This bill will help increase quality of childcare services by establishing a pilot program that will
aim to do the following:
Provide a facility allowance of $2,000 to child development centers and homes that are
rated as Progressing or Developing through the Office of State Superintendent of
Educations (OSSE) Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). The financial
enhancement must be used to help with facility costs such as rent/mortgage, utilities,
facility upgrades, or maintenance.
Require the Office of State Superintendent of Education to collect information and
evaluate the impact of the facility allowance. The pilot would include an assessment
period to measure improvements to the facilities and determine whether the facility has
improved to quality or high-quality status.
I look forward to working with my Council colleagues and other stakeholders to advance and
pass this legislation which will help ensure that our youngest residents in the District have access
to quality early child development facilities.
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2 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Christina Henderson
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6 Councilmember Mary M. Cheh Councilmember Anita Bonds
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11 Councilmember Elissa Silverman Councilmember Brooke Pinto
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16 Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.
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20 AN ACT
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22 ______________
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24 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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29 To amend the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000 to establish a pilot program to
30 provide a facility allowance to developing and progressing child development centers and
31 child development homes that meet certain criteria.
32 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
33 act may be cited as the Facility Allowance for Child Development Centers Amendment Act of
34 2021.
35 Sec. 2. The State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective October 21,
36 2000 (D.C. Law 13-176; D.C. Official Code 38-2601 et seq.) is amended as follows:
37 (a) Section 3(b) (D.C. Official Code 38-2602) is amended as follows:
38 (1) Paragraph (31)(C) is amended by striking the phrase ; and and inserting a
39 semicolon in its place.
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40 (2) Paragraph (32) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase ;
41 and in its place.
42 (2) A new paragraph (33) is added to read as follows:
43 (33) Implement and administer the child development facility allowance pilot
44 program established by section 8..
45 (b) A new section 8 is added to read as follows:
46 Sec. 8 Child development centers and homes facility allowance pilot program.
47 (a)(1) OSSE shall establish a competitive pilot program to provide a facility allowance
48 to child development facilities, as defined in section 4072(2) of the Healthy Tots Act of 2014,
49 effective February 26, 2015 (D.C. law 20-155; D.C. Official Code 38-281(2)), that meet the
50 Capital Quality designation of Developing or Progressing.
51 (2) Each pilot participant shall, at a minimum:
52 (i) Be a licensed child development facility that has a contract with the
53 OSSE to provide care for eligible children under the Subsidized Child Care Program, as defined
54 in 5-A DCMR 200.1;
55 (ii) Have a comprehensive curriculum or program that is aligned with
56 federal Head Start Program Performance Standards and the Districts early learning and
57 development standards for serving infants, toddlers, and their families;
58 (iii) Meet the Capital Quality designation of Developing or Progressing;
59 (iv) Have at least 50 percent of children served be eligible for child care
60 subsidy;
61 (v) Participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, as defined in
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62 section 4072(1) of the Healthy Tots Act of 2014, effective February 26, 2015 (D.C. law 20-155;
63 D.C. Official Code 38-281(1)),, and
64 (vi) Provide information and data to OSSE on operational costs and
65 annual revenues.
66 (b)(1) For Fiscal Year 2022, the facility allowance for a child development facility
67 selected for the pilot program shall be $2,000 per enrolled child as of October 1, 2021.
68 (2) The facility allowance shall be split in two payments, with the first half of the
69 payment made within thirty days of October 1, 2021, and the second half of the payment made
70 by April 1, 2022.
71 (c) By December 1, 2022, OSSE shall collect data and information on the impact of the
72 facility allowance on each pilot participants delivery of services to children and families, and
73 operational costs..
74 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
75 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
76 impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act,
77 approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02 (c)(3)).
78 Sec. 4. Effective date.
79 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
80 Mayor, action by Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as
81 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
82 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
83 Columbia Register.
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