Ames Child Care Center Tuition Assistance Council

Background: The Ames Child Care Center offers need based tuition assistance to any qualifying family. Since 1991, the ACCC's Tuition Assistance Council has administered the tuition assistance program. To qualify for assistance, all interested families are required to submit an application once every six months (two periods per year: Feb 1 - Jul 31 and Aug 1 - Jan 31). The families eligible to receive assistance are awarded aid based on available funds and degree of need. The available assistance is divided between eligible families proportionally. Funds for tuition assistance come from the Board of Directors budget and are raised through ACCC fundraisers and CFC donations.

Eligibility for Tuition Assistance: To receive tuition assistance, applicants must:

  • Meet the eligibility requirements for child enrollment at the ACCC
  • Submit a completed application (MS Word /PDF)
  • Submit income verification
  • Enroll their child or children at the ACCC
  • Sign a tuition assistance contract
  • Inform the ACCC Director in a timely manner of any significant changes that would affect their status at the ACCC or their amount of aid

Computing the Amount of Tuition Assistance: For each family, total income is determined. Total family income includes wages from the applicant and spouse and other types of income such as rental income, child support, and Social Security payments (see the tuition assistance application form for more details). This figure is the basis for the computation of the eligible tuition assistance amount.

In addition, if a spouse is not working, but is eligible to work, an equivalent spousal income is added. The equivalent spousal income is the lesser of the following:

  • GS pay grade 11 step 1
  • Applicants previous income
Total family income is multiplied by a percentage to determine what amount of child care cost a family should be expected to cover. Specifically, the percentage is 15% plus a Delta %.

Once the calculation has been made to determine the amount the family can afford, the affordable amount is subtracted from the actual dependent care cost to determine the eligible tuition assistance amount. If this number is less than or equal to zero the family is not eligible for assistance. If the number is greater than zero, the family may be eligible for assistance to cover some or all of the difference. Tuition assistance can not exceed one half of the actual child care cost.

TAC Council Members: The Tuition Assistance Council is elected by the ACCC parents and is typically made up of 3 people. Elections are held annually in the spring. Any interested person can nominate themselves. The nomination must be received in writing to the Elections Committee by the specified due date each year.

TAC Council Member(s): Rachel Beard (2008-2009)

OTES:

  1. Potential applicants may request at any time an estimate of the maximum assistance they would be eligible for based solely on their need. Formal applications incorporate all eligible families' needs as well as available funding.
  2. If total family investments exceed $500,000, then applicant is not eligible for tuition assistance (see application form for further details).
  3. If the non-working spouse in receiving unemployment compensation, then the unemployment benefits are added to the family income.
  4. If the parents are separated, then either child support (if any) is include in the family income or the parents are treated as if they were married for income purposes.
  5. Note that the actual dependent care cost equals the ACCC child care costs plus other dependent care costs the family is and will continue to pay for.
  6. ACCC Staff Members currently receiving the Staff Tuition Discount are not eligible to receive TAC.
  7. Military members receiving a housing allowance must include that on their application.

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