July 2 Child Care Provider Updates DCF Releases the 2026 Market Rate Survey DCF has released the 2026 Market Rate Survey, which shows that child care costs in Wisconsin significantly outpace inflation and that increasing tuition rates are diluting the buying power of the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy. This information comes directly from the prices providers reported in the Business Information Form. The report also demonstrates the impact that Child Care Counts/Bridge Payments had in keeping cost increases for families down. According to DCF Secretary Jeff Pertl, “At the gas pump and grocery store, everyone is feeling the national affordability crisis. But the end of Child Care Counts and Bridge payments are leaving families with growing child care bills in addition to everything else. Gov. Evers’ historic investments worked – it grew the number of child care providers and kept price increases low. With child care costing more than UW tuition and as much as a mortgage, families need us to build on these investments and permanently lower costs.” Read the press release and the full report. Child Care Bridge Payments Program is Closed The Child Care Bridge Payments (CCPB) closed on June 28, 2026 and final payments will be posted to the Provider Portal on July 10, 2026. See program details on the CCBP webpage. Spending Deadline Reminders Funds under this program must be spent within 120 days of the date of the payment letter for the given month. Child Care Bridge Payments February funds must be spent by July 4, 2026. Child Care Bridge Payments March funds must be spent by August 8, 2026 See the CCBP home webpage for the entire list of spending deadlines and mark them in your calendar. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Child Care Payments Support Center by email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a support center specialist at 608-535-3650, M-F, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Reminder: Provider Portal Update – Program Integrity Communications Effective July 1, 2026, DCF is implementing a new communication feature within the Provider Portal. Program Integrity investigators will have the ability to upload documents directly to the Provider Portal for providers to review. This enhancement provides an additional, secure method for sharing program integrity-related correspondence and documentation. What You Need to Do To receive program integrity communications through the Provider Portal, you must update your communication preferences and select this option within the Provider Portal. Please review your portal settings and opt in if you would like to receive Program Integrity correspondence electronically through the portal. Read the instructions for updating your communication preferences on the DCF website. Please contact the Wisconsin Shares Help Desk at childcare@wisconsin.gov with any questions. Upcoming Events and Education/Training Opportunities The below events are hosted by DCF, one of its partners, or is one that may be relevant to the early childhood field. Click/tap on the titles below to learn more about each event. Virtual: Quality Conversations: Challenging Conversations with Families Join YoungStar Connect for a supportive conversation about navigating challenging conversations with families. You’ll leave with helpful resources, reflection tools, and increased confidence in having respectful, productive conversations with families. Live session | Monday, July 13, 2026 | 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Register through the Wisconsin Registry | Registration closes on July 10, 2026. Questions? Contact Nicole Cusimano. New Free, Self-Paced Training Series Available A new training series is now available through Thriving Wisconsin! The Bridges to Belonging series offers free, self-paced learning designed to support child care providers in building inclusive and responsive environments. These trainings were made possible through funding from the Bureau of Refugee Programs’ Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Grant and are available at no cost to participants. Learners can complete the trainings on their own schedule and earn continuing education credits. Explore the full series and other available trainings on the Thriving Wisconsin website. Child Care Foundational Trainings Through Parents Place Ready to begin or grow your child care career? Register now for our daytime Introduction to the Child Care Profession or evening Skills and Strategies for the Child Care Teacher Visit the Parents Place website for schedules and registration. Please email Ann-Marie St John with any questions, or call 262-549-5575. New Credential: Nature Based Early Childhood Education Interested in learning more about outdoor learning? Register for this nature based early childhood credential! Explore how nature can become a powerful part of early learning. This advanced technical certificate is designed for early childhood professionals who want to deepen their understanding of nature-based education and bring it into their everyday teaching. This credential includes four 3-credit courses and is offered with support from the Wisconsin Registry. Register today! Registration deadline is fall 2026. For more information, please contact Stef Bugasch. Visit the Western Technical College website to register or learn more about the program.
