Advanced, Enrollment-Based Payments
- MSDE will pay providers in advance, not retroactively; and
- MSDE will issue the advance payment based on enrollment, where enrollment is defined as the number of children appearing on the child care providers invoice by the last Saturday of the previous calendar month.
How will Advance Payment work?
Service periods are condensed from every two weeks to a single, monthly service period. MSDE will then pay providers in advance, MSDE processes Advance Payment based on the number of children on a provider’s invoice by the last Saturday of each month. MSDE will do so via the total amount of the Advance Payment divided into two payments dates: one the 15th of the month for services provided the 1-15th; and the second on the 30th for services provided the 16th – end of month.
The Advance Payment amount is based on enrollment the attendance of children with enrolled scholarships. Unless a child’s absences have exceeded 60 days within a calendar year, the Advance Payment will include payment for the days of absenteeism.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I received my advance payment, and I was not paid for a child who has a scholarship?
Children not appearing on a provider’s invoice by the last Saturday of each month, will not receive payment during the Advance Payment month. Payment will be processed and providers will receive payment for that child when True-Up is processed. For example, if the child was not on the provider’s invoice at the time January’s Advance Payment was calculated, the provider will receive two payments in February; two payments in March; before they receive January’s Advance Payment in April.
Why was my 2nd Advance Payment amount different from my first 1st Advance Payment for the same month?
If any changes in the child's enrollment status or if the child care provider moved to a status (licensing or Maryland EXCELS) not eligible to receive child care scholarship payment, before the second Advance Payment is made, the second Advance payment amount will be reduced.
Will I receive an Advance Payment Invoice Detail Report for detailed report of my Advance Payment?
Yes, providers will receive an Advance Payment Invoice Detail Report that lists a detailed payment amount for each scholarship. The Advance Payment Invoice Detail Report is made available in the Child Care Provider Portal, the next business day after the State Comptroller's Office completes each of the two Advance Payments per month. The Advance Payment Invoice Detail Report for the second Advance Payment will include two True-Up sections entitled: "Additional Amounts Reconciliation" (amount paid) and "Additional Amounts Adjusted" (amount adjusted) for the True-up reconciliation amounts. The True-Up sections are always blank after the first Advance Payment, because True-Up reconciliation is only deducted from the second Advance Payment. The True-Up sections are blank after the second Advance Payment, if True-Up reconciliation was not applicable.
When will I receive my advance payment?
Each monthly advance payment will be issued in two payments. This payment is for the first half of the month. A second payment will be sent later this month for the second half of the month.
What is True Up?
True-Up is the process for where MSDE pays the provider for scholarships enrolled after the Advance Payment calculations were made. True-Up is also the process where the provider's Advance Payment is reduced because of services not rendered or because the provider was ineligible to receive a child care scholarship payment during the Advance Payment month.
True-up occurs three months after the Advance Payment. During True-Up, MSDE will adjust the Advance Payment based on the following:
- If additional children were enrolled after the Advance Payment calculations, MSDE will pay the amount owed during the True-Up month.
- If scholarships ended early in the Advance Payment month, MSDE will reduce the advance payment during the True-Up month.
- If the provider was ineligible to receive child care scholarship payments during the Advance Payment month, MSDE will reduce the advance payment during the True-Up month.
Do I still need to send in my invoice?
Yes, Invoices are still required for each month’s two pay periods, though attendance will not affect the amount of the advance payment! Child care providers must submit their invoice at the close of each two week service period. Invoices are submitted and reviewed as a part of the MSDE Program Integrity Audits. Providers failing to submit an invoice, will have to return all funds paid for that service period, due to failing the Program Integrity Audit.
When do I need to send my invoice to CCS Central 2?
Immediately after the two weeks of services are provided. As soon as the provider completes attendance for the last service day on the invoice, the provider is encouraged to submit the invoice to CCS2. This process will increase the success of a child care provider not forgetting to timely submit invoice. Failure to submit an invoice and the late submission of an invoice will result in the provider failing the MSDE Program Integrity Audit. Providers failing a MSDE Program Integrity audit will have to return all funds paid for that service period.
I have additional questions, who can I contact?
Complete the Child Care Scholarship Provider Inquiry