| Great START Wage Supplement ProgramGreat START (Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) can provide you with extra money on top of what you’re already making. Great START is a wage supplement program that rewards eligible early care and education practitioners in Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) licensed child care centers, family/group, and family child care providers for receiving higher education and for remaining at their current place of employment. Great START was introduced into legislation in June 2000 and permanently signed into law in 2004. The Great START Program is administered by INCCRRA and funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Bureau of Child Care and Development. Program Specifics- Great START rewards child care practitioners by supplementing their income based on education they have already attained above IDCFS licensing standards.
- Great START wage supplements are paid directly to the eligible practitioner on a six-month schedule based on his/her continued employment at the same program and meet all other program eligibility requirements.
- Great START helps an agency maintain employees, which increases quality and consistent care to the children, without raising parent fees.
- Great START builds on and compliments the Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program. The Gateways Scholarship Program assists child care practitioners with attaining more education; Great START rewards those who have already attained education and remain employed at the same child care program.
- Great START’s wage supplement scale determines practitioners eligibility based on education attainment and eligible position.
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