New school year, new CDC/SAP rates

Emma Sallions, left, and Kimora Ishman are all smiles as they enjoy themselves on the Child Development Center playground earlier in the week. The Wing CDC is still the "best deal in town" said Ms. Pamela Jordan, Chief, Airman and Family Services Flight.

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New school year, new CDC/SAP rates

Published Sept. 24, 2010
By 1st Lt. Karl Wiest
45th SW Public Affairs

Patrick AFB, Fla. -- Parents, don't let the headline scare you. While the rates at Department of Defense (DoD) Child Development Center's across the nation are being updated for the 2010-2011 school year, the CDC and the School Age Program here at Patrick are still going to provide the most affordable child care and youth programs around based upon a recent Brevard County cost comparison study.

"Based on the new rates, some of our patrons' rates are going to go up, some are going to go down, and others will stay the same," said Ms. Pamela Jordan, Airman and Family Services chief here at the 45th Space Wing. "That said, we are still the best deal in town and we will continue to work to provide you the 'best bang for your buck'."

The new DoD rates for this school year, which will go into implementation beginning Oct. 1, include three additional fee categories and a 10% discount for parents with more than one child in the program. The cumulative rate for each family is based upon total family income.

If you have not already provided the CDC staff and/or Youth Programs with a copy of your most recent LES and/or pay statement, please do so immediately or else you will automatically be charged the Category 9 rate.

The Military Child Care Act (MCCA) of 1996 requires the DoD to prescribe uniform fees for military child-care programs. The MCCA also directs that parent fees cover approximately half of the cost of child care. DoD supports the additional costs of child care by matching parent fees with appropriated dollars.

"Our goal is to provide every child an environment that promotes health and individual development during the most critical years of their lives," said Maj. Robert Jackson, 45th Space Wing Force Support Squadron commander. "I believe you'll find our child-care and youth programs offer affordable, assessable and quality care at a comparably reasonable price."

For more information on how the new rates may affect individual families, please contact Susan Pollock at the Child Development Center at 494-7028 or Alma Terrell at Youth Programs at 494-9096.