(1) The purpose of the Montana Child Care Merit Pay Program is to improve the quality of services provided to young children, by providing a monetary incentive payment to care givers employed in licensed or registered child care facilities who complete continuing education, approved through the early care and education training approval system, or college course work in the early care and education knowledge base areas as outlined at ARM 37.95.620 and 37.95.701.

(2) To qualify for a Montana child care merit pay I and infant toddler merit pay award, an individual must work a minimum of 15 hours a week in a child care facility that is either registered or licensed by the department and be a member of the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner's Registry.

(3) To qualify for Montana child care higher education merit pay, an individual must be a member of the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner's Registry and work a minimum of 15 hours a week in a child care facility that is either:

(a) registered or licensed by the department;

(b) a Head Start, Tribal Head Start or Early Head Start program; or

(c) a child care resource and referral agency located in Montana.

(4) To receive a merit pay award, applicants may apply for one of three programs - merit pay I, infant toddler merit pay or higher education merit pay.

(a) Those participants completing and verifying 23 hours of preapproved early childhood training will receive a merit pay I award of $250. Those participants completing and verifying 50 hours of preapproved early childhood training will receive a merit pay I award of $500.

(b) Those participants verifying completion of six semester college credit hours of course work preapproved by the Early Childhood Services Bureau that leads to a credential or degree in early childhood/child development or participating in six credit hours of a college course work program that emphasizes early childhood that will lead to a level IV or higher on the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner's Registry, will receive a higher education merit pay award of $750.

(c) Those participants verifying completion of 60 hours of Montana infant toddler training preapproved by the early childhood services bureau will receive an infant toddler merit pay award of $400, except that applicants who have previously received the $400 infant toddler merit pay award or have completed the Montana infant toddler certification are not eligible for infant toddler merit pay.

(5) Participants must complete an application form and a plan indicating:

(a) which merit pay program they wish to complete;

(b) the training or course work they plan to complete;

(c) their place of employment including the day care license or registration number;

(d) an attestation regarding whether they have previously received a merit pay award; and

(e) either an attestation regarding whether they have previously completed a degree in early childhood or child development; or

(f) an indication of early childhood or child development educational program enrollment.

(6) The application and plan of study are submitted to the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Human and Community Services Division, Early Childhood Services Bureau for approval. Participants are accepted into the program based upon priority ranking and availability of funds.

(7) If a participant does not complete the number of hours of training required for their track, she or he will not receive a merit pay award.

(8) All training must be completed between August 1 of the current year and August 31 of the following year.

(9) Child and Adult Care Food Program training in excess of the four hours required for participation in that program is allowable as long as the training has been approved through the career development training approval system.

(10) Credit hours are converted as follows:

(a) one college credit is equal to 15 hours of instructional time;

(b) one continuing education unit (CEU) is equal to ten hours of instructional time.

(11) The 60 hour preapproved Montana infant toddler training is not allowable training for the merit pay I program.

(12) All college course work for undergraduate credit must be completed through an accredited Montana college or university that is recognized by the Montana Board of Regents.

(13) Priority for each of the three merit pay programs is given as follows in order to allocate limited financial resources to those most in need:

(a) Priority for merit pay I is given in the following order to the provider described:

(i) providers who have not previously received merit pay I and are participating in training that leads to completion of a credential such as a child development associate (CDA), accreditation through the National Association of Family Child Care, or accreditation through the National Association of the Education of Young Children;

(ii) providers who have not previously received merit pay I, who have not completed a credential in early childhood education or a related field, and who are participating in training in one or more of the Montana early care and education knowledge base content areas of child growth and development, child guidance, health safety and nutrition, environmental design, family and community partnerships, program management, curriculum, observation and assessment, professionalism, cultural and developmental diversity, and personal dispositions;

(iii) providers who have previously received merit pay I and are participating in training that leads to the completion of a credential as defined in (13)(d);

(iv) providers who have previously received merit pay I, who have not completed a credential in early childhood education or a related field, and who are participating in the training listed in (13)(a)(ii) that will enhance a direct care provider's ability to work with young children; and

(v) providers who have previously received merit pay I, have completed a credential in early childhood education or a related field, and who are participating in the training that will enhance a direct care provider's ability to work with young children.

(b) Priority for higher education merit pay is first ranked according to how much financial assistance the individual has access to and then given in the following order to:

(i) college students who have previously received higher education merit pay award and are in either college course work that leads to completion of a CDA credential, a child care development specialist (CCDS) apprenticeship certificate, a degree in early childhood/child development, or participating in a higher education program that emphasizes early childhood and will lead to a level IV or higher on the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner's Registry;

(ii) college students who have not previously received higher education merit pay and are participating in a program that leads to completion of an early childhood credential as defined in (13)(b)(i). When all factors for priority two are equal, then child care development specialist apprentices who are registered with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry Apprenticeship and Training program will receive first consideration;

(iii) early childhood practitioners who have not previously received higher education merit pay, have completed a credential or degree in early childhood education as defined in (13)(b)(i), and are going on to a higher degree or attainment of the early childhood permissive special competency;

(iv) early childhood practitioners who have previously received higher education merit pay, have completed a credential or degree in early childhood education as defined in (13)(b)(i), and are going on to a higher degree or attainment of the early childhood special competency; and

(v) early childhood practitioners who are participating in college course work that is not part of an Early Childhood Program as defined in (13)(b)(i) but that will directly enhance a care provider's ability to work with young children as defined in (13)(a)(ii).

(c) Priority for infant/toddler merit pay is given in the following order to the providers described:

(i) providers who have not previously received infant/toddler merit pay, are participating in training that leads to completion of the Montana infant/toddler caregiver certification, are currently working with infants and toddlers, and have not completed the infant/toddler training;

(ii) providers who have not previously received infant toddler merit pay, are participating in training that leads to completion of the Montana infant/toddler caregiver certification, are not currently working with infants and toddlers, and have not completed the infant/toddler training.

(d) For purposes of this rule, a credential means completion of a child development associate (CDA), an associates degree (AA), a bachelors degree (BA), or higher in early childhood education, child development or an early childhood minor or early childhood permissive special competency (ECPSC) or a child care development specialist apprenticeship.

(14) Merit pay is dependent on the availability of funding.