The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.

The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a no-cost preschool and family support program administered by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).  Children are eligible for ECEAP when they are between the ages of three and five and are from families with incomes at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level, are eligible for special education due to disability, or meet other criteria under rules adopted by the DCYF.

Beginning July 1, 2026, eligibility will expand to include any child who:

• has a family with financial need;
• is experiencing homelessness;
• has participated in Early Head Start or a successor federal program, the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers program or received class C developmental services, the Birth to Three ECEAP, or the Early Childhood Intervention and Prevention Services program; or
• is Indian as defined in DCYF rule and has a household income at or below 100 percent of the state median income (SMI).

"Family with financial need" means families with incomes at or below 36 percent of the SMI until the 2030-31 school year.  Beginning in the 2030-31 school year, it includes families with incomes at or below 50 percent of the SMI.

Eligibility will again expand on August 1, 2030, to include children who are part of an assistance unit receiving basic food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the State Food Assistance Program.  Starting in the 2026-27 school year, ECEAP will become an entitlement for eligible children meeting the standard eligibility criteria.

Working Connections Child Care.

Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) is a federally and state-funded program administered by the DCYF that provides subsidies for child care while a parent is working or participating in approved work-related activities.  The WCCC program is available to families who meet certain eligibility requirements and have a household income at or below 60 percent of the SMI, adjusted for family size.

Working Connections Child Care Income Eligibility Expansion.

Beginning July 1, 2025, a family is eligible for the WCCC program benefits when the household's annual income is above 60 percent and at or below 75 percent of the SMI, adjusted for family size, and beginning July 1, 2027, if funds are appropriated, when the household's annual income is up to 85 percent of the SMI, adjusted for family size.  Depending on income, families may be required to pay a monthly copayment to their provider.

Working Connections Child Care and State Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

A person is eligible to receive the WCCC program benefits for the first 12 months of the person's enrollment in a state registered apprenticeship when:

• the person has a household income that does not exceed 75 percent of the SMI at the time of application, or, beginning July 1, 2027, does not exceed 85 percent of the SMI at the time of application if funds are appropriated to increase the generally applicable income eligibility threshold for the WCCC program to 85 percent of the SMI;
• the child receiving care is less than 13 years old, or is less than 19 years old and has a verified special need or is under court supervision; and
• the household meets all other program eligibility requirements.

The ECEAP entitlement date is delayed from school year 2030-31 to school year 2034-35 for families with incomes at or below 50 percent of the SMI, adjusted for family size.

The WCCC income expansion is changed from July 1, 2032, to July 1, 2031, for households in the first 12 months of a state registered apprenticeship program and whose household annual income does not exceed 85 percent of the SMI if funds are appropriated to increase the generally applicable income eligibility threshold for the WCCC program to 85 percent of the SMI.