RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council recognizes the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) as integral to supporting working families and parents furthering their education or training, in order to reach their full economic potential; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council recognizes that through CCAP, young children are cared for in enriching environments that promote their healthy physical, cognitive, and social development, thus preparing them to succeed in school; and
WHEREAS, every dollar invested in the Illinois early care and education sector generates $1.94 in economic activity, more than most other major economic sectors*; and
WHEREAS, CCAP advances the City and State's goal of making preschool accessible for all children by providing working families with quality care arrangements outside of or in addition to part-day preschool and Head Start programs; and
WHEREAS, CCAP makes out of school time care accessible for working families, providing school-age children with additional learning opportunities in safe and supervised environments; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago urge the Illinois General Assembly to take legislative measures to maintain access to CCAP for working families by ensuring the program's eligibility requirements shall be no more restrictive than the requirements in place on June 30, 2015; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago urge the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to maintain a parent copayment scale that ensures parents never pay more than 10 percent of their family income for child care services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago urge IDHS to re-evaluate CCAP's income eligibility guidelines based on the City of Chicago's increasing minimum wage to ensure families earning minimum wage remain eligible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago urge the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor to prioritize CCAP funding in the State budget and make every attempt to maximize federal funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago Committee on Education and Child Development shall hold a hearing annually to assess the accessibility of CCAP services for working families, the alignment of CCAP and preschool enrollment, and the impact on Chicago communities.
