Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
After the agency worker runs and confirms eligibility in CWW for an Assistance Group (AG), the AG has ongoing eligibility. Ongoing eligibility begins the calendar month following the completion of the Request for Assistance (RFA) in accordance with Section 3.2 and the first month of a new eligibility period in accordance with Section 3.8.
During ongoing eligibility, an authorization assessment must be completed within 30 calendar days of an authorization end date for the new authorization to be backdated to the previous authorization.
If the parent requested an authorization and provided all necessary information for the authorization assessment within 30 calendar days of the authorization end date the authorization may be backdated to the previous authorization, regardless of when the agency worker processes the request.
An authorization may be backdated to the previous authorization as long as:
The child was attending the child care provider during the backdated period; and
The child care provider that the child is attending has met the criteria in Sections 14.1, 14.2 (as applicable), and 14.3.1.
| Note: Although the provider must have a contract with FIS entered in the FIS system to receive Wisconsin Shares payments, the date the FIS contract is entered is not a factor for determining the authorization begin date (see 14.3.2). Similarly, even though a licensed provider must have full-time and/or part-time prices entered in CSAW for parents to receive authorizations to the provider, the date the prices are entered is not a factor for determining the authorization begin date (see 14.4). |
The earliest the authorization can begin is on the date that the above requirements are met.
For authorizations that must start more than 30 calendar days in the past, the local agency must contact the Child Care Help Desk at childcare@wisconsin.gov for review and approval.
If the parent did not request or provide the necessary information for the authorization assessment within 30 calendar days, the new authorization may only be backdated to the first of the month in which the authorization assessment was completed. The new authorization must follow the requirements provided in Section 17.1.1.
| Example 1 (Within 30 calendar days): Khan’s authorization for his child, Anisa, ended on September 10. Anisa continued to attend the same provider. On Friday, October 9, Khan requested an authorization beginning September 11 and submitted all necessary information to complete the authorization assessment through his MyWIChildCare Parent Portal account. However, the authorization was not completed until the following Monday, October 12. The agency worker sees that the request and necessary information was provided within 30 calendar days of the previous authorization ending and backdates the new authorization to September 11. |
| Example 2 (More than 30 calendar days): Toby had an authorization for his school-age child, Abby, that ended on June 4. On July 7, he calls his worker to request a summer authorization for Abby and provides all necessary information for the authorization assessment. Because he requested the new authorization more than 30 calendar days from the end of the previous authorization, the new authorization can only be backdated to July 1 even though Abby has continued attending the same provider since June 4. |
| Example 3 (Within 30 calendar days, renewal verification received late): Betty’s renewal is due September 30, the same date her child Estelle’s authorization is ending. On September 19, she started her annual renewal, requested her child care to continue at the same provider, and completed the authorization assessment. Betty needed to provide employment verification by September 29 to complete her annual renewal; however, the verification was received on October 5, after the verification due date but within the 13th month. As long as Betty is determined eligible for Wisconsin Shares, the authorization can be backdated to October 1. |
| Example 4 (Within 30 calendar days, new provider): Charlie had an authorization for his child, Janice, that ended on March 25. On April 9, a new child care provider opened and began providing care. The provider became regulated on April 3 and the YoungStar contract was entered into CMS on April 6. Janice began attending the new provider on April 9 and Charlie called to request an authorization to this provider on April 13. Although Charlie requested a new authorization within 30 calendar days of the previous authorization ending, the authorization to the new provider can only begin on April 9. This is the date that Janice began attending and the provider met the Wisconsin Shares requirements. Charlie could request an authorization for March 26 to April 8 if Janice was attending her previous provider or a different provider who met the Wisconsin Shares requirements. |
This section last updated 10/1/2023