Puerto Rico Child Care State Plan 2025–2027

Project Brief

Commissioned by ACUDEN, StratSol designed and delivered Puerto Rico’s federally required Child Care State Plan, a cornerstone document that governs the use of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) resources. The plan outlines new policies such as the presumption of eligibility, enrollment-based and prospective payments, expanded access for vulnerable populations, and increased provider reimbursement rates. Built on a foundation of rigorous needs assessments and stakeholder engagement, the plan aligns federal mandates with the realities and opportunities of Puerto Rico’s child care system. Our team provided not only technical writing and data analysis, but also strategic advisory to ensure full compliance, practical implementation, and long-term sustainability.

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State Plan Highlights

• Presumption of Eligibility: Speeds up access to services by allowing temporary benefits while applications are processed.
• Prospective & Enrollment-Based Payments: Stabilizes provider income and improves financial planning for child care operators.
• Increased Income Eligibility Thresholds: Expands access to more working families by adjusting for inflation and local economic realities.
• Support for Vulnerable Populations: Prioritizes families earning below 50% of State Median Income and children experiencing domestic violence.
• Higher Provider Reimbursement Rates: Helps improve service quality and sustainability of child care businesses.
• Coordination with Other Programs: Integrates efforts with Head Start, Early Head Start, and Pre-K to reduce fragmentation and promote continuity.
• Policy Reforms to Address the Benefit Cliff: Introduces new mechanisms to prevent families from losing all support after small income increases.

Our Role

• Strategic Planning & Policy Design: Led the formulation of regulatory strategies aligned with CCDF mandates and Puerto Rico’s child care priorities.
• Needs Assessment Integration: Translated key findings from a comprehensive, island-wide study into actionable policy recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitated consultations with providers, parents, and agency staff to ensure the plan reflects community needs.
• Regulatory Compliance & Federal Alignment: Ensured full adherence to federal guidance while adapting to Puerto Rico’s legal and operational context.
• Data-Driven Decision Support: Used quantitative and qualitative analysis to guide eligibility policies, payment models, and prioritization strategies.
• Technical Writing & Submission Support: Developed the full federal submission, including narrative sections, data tables, and appendices.
• Implementation Roadmap: Delivered clear timelines and action plans to support successful rollout of the new policies.