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Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System Rules FAQs

Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System Rules went into effect on December 1, 2023. The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) will be helpful in the understanding the changes made to the Registration Portal and processes based on the new rule.

  1. Section 2: Early Childhood Educator Eligibility Requirements, 2(A): What if an educator does not meet the eligibility criteria?
    • To change to a Direct Care career lattice or for other questions about career lattice levels please contact Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN) 1-888-900-0055 or email mrtq.registry@maine.edu
    • Early Childhood Educator (Educator) presently in the MRTQ Registry as Level 0 are not eligible for the Salary Supplement Funding. To move from a Level 0 to a Level 1, Educators are required to complete required free, on demand health and safety training, be properly registered in the MRTQ Registry, and have 30 days of experience to be eligible.
    • If an Educator leaves the field of Early Care and Education prior to receiving the payment for the prior month, they are no longer eligible for that Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement Payment (Salary Supplement). If the Educator leaves an eligible Early Care and Education Program (Program) and goes to another eligible Program, they can only receive 1 Salary Supplement per month.
  2. Section 2: Early Childhood Educator Eligibility Requirements, 3(C): Are substitute teachers eligible? How many hours do they need to work?
    • Substitute teachers should be listed as Substitute/Teacher Aide in the MRTQ PDN
    • There are no minimum number of hours a substitute is required to work per month to be eligible. Eligibility is based on being a paid staff member of the program.
  3. Section 3: Program Registration, 3(C): Do all eligible Programs and Educators have to register for the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System?
    • All eligible programs must register, but individual Educators may opt out of receiving the funds.
  4. Section 4: General Requirements, 4(A): When will Programs receive the Salary Supplement Funding each month?
    • OCFS will shut the Registration Portal down on the first day of each month, to accurately process the prior month’s Salary Supplement Funding payment. Depending upon weekends/holidays the portal will re-open after the Salary Supplement Funding payment has been made, usually between the 6th and 11thday of the month. If necessary, OCFS will issue guidance outside of these dates, to accurately pay out the Salary Supplement Funding.
  5. Section 4: General Requirements, 4(C): As a registered Program with the Salary Supplement System, what are my responsibilities?
    • Maintain records that prove each eligible Educator listed in the registration was paid correctly. Paying with cash will not provide documentation in the event of an audit and therefore it is not a recommendedSalary Supplement payment method.
    • Pay out the Salary Supplements in addition to the Educators normal pay.
    • Update the Registration Portal by removing any ineligible Educator, after the Educator has received their final Salary Supplement.
    • When requested by the Department, Programs must fully participate in Compliance Monitoring, producing documentation as requested. This is a mandatory requirement of the Salary Supplement System.
  6. Section 5: How often will the Tier amounts change? How will programs be informed?
  7. In addition to the Salary Supplements, 7.65% additional funds will continue to be added to cover the cost associated with administering the Salary Supplement Funding payments each month.

The following webinar link provides updates to the Registration Portal and instructions on how to make changes. Salary Supplement Tiered System Webinar

To see the full set of Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System Rules 10-148 Code of Maine Rules Chapter 30, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement Program website at https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/provider-resources/early-childhood-educator-workforce-salary-supplement-program or call to request a paper copy by phone at (207) 624-7996.