Child Care Workforce Development Act

Loan Repayment Assistance: Eligible early childhood educators can have their Federal direct loans repaid by the government, with up to $6,000 of principal and interest covered for each year of a five-year service commitment (Section 2(a)).

Educational Support via Grants: Students enrolled in qualified early childhood educator programs can receive grants of up to $4,000 per academic year to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and necessary materials (Section 3(d), Section 3(e)(1)).

Workforce Credit for Experience: Individuals can count their service as a full or part-time educator in a licensed program while they are still enrolled in their studies toward fulfilling their service obligation (Section 3(c)(2)).

Financial Hardship Protection: Grant recipients who make a good faith effort to find employment in a licensed early learning program but cannot find a position may receive a hardship extension of up to one year (Section 3(c)(3)(B)).

Service Obligations: To receive loan assistance, educators must commit to serving for at least 5 years with a qualified employer (Section 2(a), Section 2(f)(1)(B)(i)). To receive a grant, applicants must agree to serve in a licensed early learning program for at least one academic year, plus additional months for renewals (Section 3(c)(1)(A)(i)).

Financial Risk for Grant Recipients: If a grant recipient fails or refuses to meet their service obligation, the grant money received will be treated as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that must be repaid (Section 3(c)(1)(A)(ii), Section 3(c)(3)(A)).

Annual Reporting Burdens: Educators seeking to continue receiving payments under the loan assistance program must submit information annually to the Secretary to certify they still meet eligibility criteria (Section 2(b)).