ATLANTA — Eligible Atlanta Public School employees can apply for child care subsidies next month. It comes from $4.5 million in funding from the district to offer scholarships over the next three years.
APS will make referrals for workers who meet the financial requirements in May, and then a non-profit organization will enter those employees into a lottery system for the subsidies beginning this summer.
Child care is an expense many Metro Atlanta families know all too well.
“Quality child care education is expensive, and right now it's more important than ever that families be able to prioritize putting their kids in quality care and use the resources the way that they need in terms of making sure families have food on the table," said Ellyn Cochran, CEO and president of the organization Quality Care for Children.
APS is partnering with the non-profit and Cochran said at least 165 kids will receive annual scholarships through the program.
“We ask that families pay 10% of their gross weekly pay for the scholarships, and we provide up to $208 a week as part of our Boost scholarship," she said.
Cochran added that qualifying for the scholarships is based on income.
“We look at the state median income for family income and 85% or below qualify for the scholarships," she said.
The state median income is around $65,000 a year, but according to the Georgia Department of Education, teachers can earn anywhere from $38,000 to $79,000 a school year.
That means most teachers probably wouldn't qualify, but employees who work in cafeterias, as teacher's aides, or as bus drivers could.
Cochran hopes the program can set an example for other school districts and employers in Georgia.
“We would love to see more employers throughout the region be able to provide access scholarships to families in a way that works for them to make sure that their workforce is supported so that they can retain, and they can recruit employees that are parents," Cochran said.
The subsidies are expected to begin this July. A family's income will get reviewed each year.
The scholarships are part of an effort by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' office to help more kids take part in early childhood education.