Ratios Pilot and Enhanced Payments Pilotchildren play with blocks on the floor while adults look on

Información en español

The Ratios Pilot and the Enhanced Payments Pilot are programs that expand capacity across Wisconsin’s child care industry by helping providers serve more infants and toddlers. The programs are scheduled to end in the Summer of 2027:

  • The Ratios Pilot aligns Wisconsin with peer states like Minnesota, enabling providers to care for seven toddlers between 18 and 30 months of age per staff member.  
  • The Enhanced Payments Pilot supports providers financially with a per-child payment if a child care provider participates in the Ratios Pilot and serves families with an active Wisconsin Shares authorization.  

Please contact the Ratios Pilot and Enhanced Payments Pilot email address at DCFRatiosandEnhancedPayments@wisconsin.gov with any questions. 

Ratios Pilot

Group child care programs may begin to implement new pilot ratios of 1:7 for children 18-30 months now, if they meet other applicable administrative rules (e.g., space requirements, equipment and furnishings, licensed capacity, etc.). The Ratio Pilot ends July 31, 2027.

Beginning January 19, 2026, all licensed group child care programs participating in the Ratios Pilot must certify their participation with the department. 

Participation in the Ratios Pilot 

Participation means group child care programs will implement staff-to-child ratios of 1:7 for children aged 18 – 30 months in at least one classroom. Programs must also have:  

  • At least 35 square feet of usable floor space per child (see DCF 251.06(7)(a)) in the classroom to accommodate the increased ratios
  • Enough qualified staff in each classroom
  • Adequate licensed capacity  
  • Adequate equipment and furnishing (e.g., toys, cots/cribs/playpens, chairs, tables, utensils)

Note: All licensing rules under DCF 251.09, additional requirements for infant and toddler care, continue to apply to children under 2-years-old.  

Each program should review their space letters to determine if they can accommodate more children in the classroom. Space letters are either on file at the center or can be accessed in the historical documents on the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP).

  • If programs want to increase their licensed capacity, submit a written/emailed request to your licensing specialist and follow standard procedures.
  • If programs want to change room usage or switch rooms to accommodate more children, report it to your licensing specialist 20 working days prior, receive approval, and follow standard procedures. 
Ratios Pilot Certification

Beginning January 19, 2026, all licensed group child care programs participating in the Ratios Pilot must certify their participation with the department. Programs must certify their participation in the Ratios Pilot, even if they are not participating in the Enhanced Payments Pilot. Certification is only required once. If a child care program is no longer participating in the Ratios Pilot, the child care program must notify the department.

The certification to begin participating in the Ratios Pilot, and notification of ending participation, must be submitted through the Child Care Provider Portal.  

When indicating your participation in the Ratios Pilot in the Child Care Provider Portal, you will be asked to certify that:

  • Your center will implement the 1:7 ratio in at least one classroom that cares for children 18-30 months
  • Your center has the appropriate licensed capacity for the 1:7 ratio
  • Your classroom(s) has enough space for the 1:7 ratio
  • Your classroom(s) has adequate equipment for the 1:7 ratio
  • You agree the information you have submitted is truthful and accurate
  • You understand that you are required to notify DCF if you stop implementing a 1:7 ratio prior to the end of the program or wish to stop receiving enhanced payments by returning to CCPP to report the change 
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Enhanced Payments Pilot 

The Enhanced Payments Pilot provides per-child payments for infants and toddlers with a Wisconsin Shares authorization to group child care programs licensed under s. 48.65, Wis. Stats., and certified to participate in the Ratios Pilot. The Enhanced Payments Pilot is an 18-month payment program that runs January 2026 – June 2027.  

Enhanced Payments Pilot Certification 

To receive per-child payments, licensed group child care programs must certify their participation in the Ratios Pilot (see above) and the Enhanced Payments Pilot. To certify participation and begin receiving payments, the licensed group child care program must be eligible to serve families who are authorized for Wisconsin Shares, and opt-in to receive the per-child payments. A licensed group child care program that is participating in the Ratios Pilot is not required to participate in the Enhanced Payments Pilot and may opt-out of receiving those payments.

Certification is only required once. If a licensed group child care program is no longer participating in the Ratios Pilot or no longer wishes to receive the per-child payment, the child care program must notify the department.

The certification to begin participating in the Ratios Pilot, and notification of ending participation must be submitted through the Child Care Provider Portal.  

Monthly Payments

Monthly payments under the Enhanced Payments Pilot are per-child payments for children who:

  • Are enrolled at a licensed group child care program that is certified in the Ratios Pilot for at least one classroom (the child does not have to be in the classroom that is implementing 1:7 ratios)
  • Are 0-30 months old
  • Have an active Wisconsin Shares Authorization

Monthly payments are calculated as follows:

Authorization Type Age Amount
Full-Time 0-17 months $200
Full-Time 18-30 months $100
Part-Time 0-17 months $100
Part-Time 18-30 months $50

To begin receiving the per-child payment for participating in the Ratios Pilot, licensed group child care programs must certify their participation (see program certification information above).  

Licensed group child care programs will receive per-child payments for the month their certification was submitted, and each month following. Once approved for payments, licensed group child providers will continue to receive ongoing monthly payments and do not need to re-certify. Enhanced Payments will start as of the month of certification, even if the provider began implementing a 1:7 ratio earlier than their certification date.

Enhanced Payments will be deposited directly in a provider's bank account through Fidelity National Information Services (FIS).

  • Child care programs certifying for the Enhanced Payments Pilot should have an account set up with FIS as a part of their participation in Shares.  
  • Child care programs can update their bank account information by contacting FIS Merchant Services at Merchant.Services.Support@fisglobal.com,  or 1-800-894-0050 for a Bank Change Form.
  • For more information about registering with FIS, please see our FIS Guide.

Providers can view their payment information in the Child Care Provider Portal. 

Spending Requirements and Deadlines 

The per-child payments do not need to be applied to the specific child's account. These payments are meant to be used for your program generally. There are no spending deadlines for the per-child payments.

Once Enhanced Payments are paid to you, they are considered your funds to use how you choose. The only restriction is that funds may not be used for the purchase, construction, or major renovation of any building or facility. Major renovation means:

  • Structural changes to the foundation, roof, floor, exterior, or load-bearing walls of a facility, or the extension of a facility to increase its floor area; or
  • Extensive alteration of a facility such as to significantly change its function or purpose, even if such renovation does not include any structural change 
Auditing

The per-child payments issued under the Enhanced Payments Pilot may be subject to audit if the child care program is being audited by the department.

A training video about Wisconsin Shares program integrity for Wisconsin child care providers is available. There are various rules in place to ensure that child care subsidy is available for those who need it and that the funds are being spent and paid out appropriately. Provider program integrity ensures that those rules are followed, and it includes prevention, monitoring, and identification of improper payments and fraud of the Wisconsin Shares program.  

View the Wisconsin Shares Provider Investigation and Audit Process (DCF-P-5677).

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Still have questions? Email DCFRatiosandEnhancedPayments@wisconsin.gov.