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At-a-Glance Comparison
Tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start
| Child Care* | Head Start** | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose/Mission | Increase availability, affordability, and quality of care; support parents in economic independence; support TANF work provisions; tribal flexibility; parental choice/consumer education | Promote school-readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children through the provision, to low-income children and their families, of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services |
| Funding Mechanism | Federal block grant to tribe | Federal grant to tribe |
| Revenues to Tribe | May change every fiscal year based on base amount and tribal child count | Predictable/known—indicated in grant award |
| Non-Federal Share Requirements | 100% Federal; no non-federal match required | Requires 20% non-federal tribal match (cash or inkind) |
| Parent Fees | Fee scale/requires parent fees (co-pay) Tribe can waive fees for families at/below poverty and for children in protective service |
None |
| Child Enrollment Levels | Tribe submits self-certified child count annually Levels vary from year to year. Child count does not reflect the number of children who actually receive services |
Specified in grant award |
| Child/Family Eligibility Criteria | Low income families who work or attend training/education with children under age 13 Income must not exceed 85% of State Median Income or Tribal Median Income |
Preschool children and their families below the poverty level 49% of enrolled children may be over-income |
| Child/Family Eligibility Periods | Child must meet federally recognized tribe's definition of "Indian child" Tribe sets eligibility determination process/period/income eligibility levels |
EHS/birth to 3—once determined income eligible, eligible until 3 years old 3-5 years—once determined income eligible can remain enrolled until kindergarten |
| Standards/Regulations | Set by each tribe May establish tribal health and safety standards or adopt CCDF Minimum Standards for Tribes or state licensing standards |
Federal Head Start Program Performance Standards and other applicable federal regulations |
| Group Size—Child/Teacher Ratio | Specified by tribe | Specified by federal standards |
| Staff Qualifications | Tribe sets provider qualifications | 50% of teaching staff are required to obtain an AA, BA (in ECE) by 2003—remaining staff must obtain CDA |
| Comprehensive Services | Not required by federal regulations | Required by federal standards (e. g. health, nutrition, social, educational) |
| Parent Involvement & Decision-Making | Parents given ultimate decision regarding care for their children Public hearing required every two years |
Required by federal standards (e.g. Policy Council, parent education) |
| Quality Assurance | Tribally determined Tribes receiving over $500,000 must expend a minimum of 4% of annual funds on quality initiatives |
Federal review of programs every 3 years Program self-assessment required annually |
*Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 and Child Care and Development Fund Final Rule of 1998
**Head Start Program Performance Standards, Head Start Act
10530 Rosehaven St., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22030 | Phone: (800) 616-2242 • Fax: (800) 716-2242 • TTY: (800) 516-2242
NCCIC is a service of the Child Care Bureau (CCB), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Administration for Children and Families(ACF), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services