Section 17-798.2-29 - General eligibility requirements(a) Child care assistance for preschool may be provided under this subchapter depending upon availability of funds. The family unit shall meet all the conditions described in sections 17-798.2-6, 17-798.2-9(b)(1), 17-798.2-10, 17-798.2-11, 17-798.2-13, and 17-798.2-14.(b) An eligible child shall meet the following requirements:(1) Must be four years old by December 31 of the year applying for the program for the ensuing school year, or(2) Must be three years old by December 31 of the year applying for the program for the ensuing school year, have a special populations referral, and not qualify full-time for the Department of Education (DOE) Special Education program.(c) An eligible caretaker shall have a monthly gross income verified through documentation that does not exceed eighty-five percent of the State Median Income for a family of the same size.(d) Assistance shall be provided to eligible children based on ranking in order of priority within each geographical area designated by the department: (1) Age of child. (A) A child must be four years old by December 31 of the year applying for the program for the ensuing school year, have a completed Special Populations Referral form prescribed by the department, eligible to enter junior kindergarten or kindergarten at the start of the following school year, and need child care assistance to attend preschool;(B) Any other child who will be four years old by December 31 of the year applying for the program for the ensuing school year, who would be eligible to enter junior kindergarten or kindergarten at the start of the following school year and needs child care assistance to attend preschool; and(C) A child who will be three years old by December 31 of the year applying for the program for the ensuing school year, has a completed Special Populations Referral form prescribed by the department, applies for the DOE Special Education program and does not qualify full-time for this DOE program, and needs child care assistance to attend preschool.(2) Eligible family units shall be income-ranked within their age group by dividing their monthly gross income by eighty-five per cent of the State Median Income for a family of the same size.(e) Eligibility shall be established each year during open enrollment periods.(f) Assistance shall be provided at rates established pursuant to section 17-798.2-12, Exhibit I. Haw. Code R. § 17-798.2-29
[Eff 03/08/08] (Auth: HRS § 346-14) (Imp: HRS § 346-14)