Time Sensitive
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Proposed Regulation Changes
CCAP Rates and Age Categories
Alaska Division of Public Assistance
Child Care Program Office
Broadcast Notice September 1, 2026
Published Proposed CCAP Regulation Changes
On July 30, 2026, proposed changes to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) regulations were published on the State of Alaska Online Public Notices website for public comment. Two of the proposed changes to the CCAP Rate Schedule that would impact families and child care providers are:
- Changes to CCAP Rates; and
- Changes to CCAP Age categories
The public comment period for written comments on the proposed regulations ends at 5:00 p.m. on September 14, 2026. If you have not yet reviewed the proposed changes, you may do so by visiting the State of Alaska Online Public Notices website: State of Alaska Online Public Notices.
If the proposed regulations are adopted, changes are typically effective 30 days after the regulations are signed into law. While we anticipate that the effective date would be no sooner than November 1, 2026, we cannot provide a confirmed implementation date until the regulatory adoption process is complete.
In preparation for the potential adoption of the proposed regulations, we are preparing system changes to support updates to provider rates and age definitions. These system changes would include reissuing Child Care Assistance authorizations to reflect the proposed provider rates and age categories for any child whose age would place them in a different category of care under the proposed changes (see below).
Proposed CCAP age categories:
Infant: Birth through 18 months
Toddler: 19 months through 35 months
Preschool: 36 months through 71 months
School Age: Six years through 12 years
What does this mean for you?
To help ensure a smooth and seamless transition, all child care providers must report their rates in AKCCIS for each age category in which they provide care, regardless of whether their current rates will remain the same or change under the proposed CCAP Rate Schedule.
Please visit the State of Alaska Online Public Notices Website to review the proposed CCAP Rate Schedule. The proposed schedule is available in the attachments to the Notice of Proposed Changes on the Child Care Assistance Program.
What steps MUST a provider take:
To ensure a smooth transition, providers must complete the following steps in the order listed below:
1. Determine your rates based on the proposed age categories.
Review the proposed age categories and determine whether your current rates will change or remain the same under the proposed CCAP Rate Schedule.
2. Provide written notice to families of any anticipated rate changes.
You must provide written notice to all affected families at least 30 days before the rate change takes effect. The notice to families may state that the rate change will become effective upon implementation of the proposed regulations, if the regulations are adopted.
Providers should provide this notice to families now and no later than September 30, 2026, to ensure families receive adequate notice. Please note that provider rate changes take effect on the first of the month following the required 30-day notice period. For this reason, it is especially important that families receive written notice before October 1, 2026.
3. Submit your rates in AKCCIS.
Beginning September 14, 2026, and no later than September 30, 2026, submit your rates through AKCCIS.com and upload a copy of your written notice to families.
Do not submit your provider rates in AKCCIS before September 14, 2026. This timeframe is necessary to allow the Child Care Program Office to finalize system configurations associated with the proposed regulatory changes.
If you have not yet set up an account in AKCCIS.com, please do so now. If you need assistance setting up your account or navigating the system, select the Help icon in the upper-right corner of the AKCCIS landing page, then select General and How-To Documents.
Additional instructions for submitting provider rates in the system will also be available on the AKCCIS Home page under Announcements between September 14 – 30, 2026.
IMPORTANT: It is essential that the steps above are completed in the order listed and that provider rates are not submitted before AKCCIS is ready to accept them on September 14, 2026. All rate information must be submitted in AKCCIS by September 30, 2026, and the submission must include a copy of the required written notice provided to families at least 30 days in advance.
This process is mandatory for all providers participating in the Child Care Assistance Program. We understand the timeframe for submitting this information is short; however, the timeline is necessary to ensure system alignment and support a smooth transition of child care authorizations. Failure to provide the required rate information and written notice to families may affect a provider’s continued participation in CCAP and may impact future payments.
If you have questions, please contact the Child Care Program Office at (907) 269-4500 or email ccpo@alaska.gov.
Thank you for your continued partnership and attention to this time-sensitive notification.
Child Care Program Office
Alaska Division of Public Assistance