The Department is committed to increasing access for families approved for child care payment support through the weekly Child Care Reimbursement Rates issued to child care agencies on their behalf. We evaluate the market rates through an annual Market Rate Survey conducted by our Data Strategies Unit to inform how we adjust rates to meet the needs of families and within our Child Care Development Fund budget. The current Market Rate Survey for 2025-2026 located here indicated increases in rates for several types of providers and across different care levels. We are excited to announce that effective October 1, 2026, based on budget review, we will implement targeted adjustments to align with expectations from our federal partners at the Administration for Families and Children Office of Child Care, and to further support access for families. There are a few exceptions due to some rates that were already at or above the targeted levels.

We will continue to offer 15% differentials for infant care, and children with diagnosed disabilities.

The Quality Bonus structure will not change. For agencies scoring between 80 to 89, a 5% bonus will be calculated on the base rate. Agencies scoring between 90 to 100 will receive a 10% bonus calculated on the base rate.

To view the Reimbursement Rate Chart effective October 1, 2026, please click here.

With Glenna Jones, Director of Child and Adult Care Licensing Field Operations

Soon we will be saying goodbye to Summer and hello to Fall.  With the changing leaves, comes the end of our 2026 QRIS cycle and beginning of the 2027 cycle.  As you prepare for the end of the current QRIS cycle, October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026, please ensure that all of your staff members have completed their required annual training by September 15, 2026.  Your Licensing Consultant/Program Specialist can help address any questions you may have and provide resources to help you achieve compliance with all training requirements. 

Your Child and Adult Care Licensing (CACL) team has many resources to support you in the vital work you do to provide high-quality care for children and their families.  Many of those resources can be accessed through our TN Child Care Services webpage, https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services.html.  There you can find Child Care Licensing Rules Guidance, Commonly Requested Forms, QRIS Observation Tool Samples, and many other tools to help you maintain rules compliance and to achieve excellence in quality. 

The CACL team is dedicated to supporting you!  Our goal is to be a collaborative partner and to develop an impactful relationship that meets the unique needs of your agency. Please reach out whenever you have a need and we will work together to strengthen Tennessee by strengthening our youngest Tennesseans. 

The Tennessee Department of Human Services remains committed to supporting child care agencies in providing environments that are safe, healthy and developmentally rich. As a reminder, Tennessee’s QRIS is a new and different approach grounded in research, input from national consultants, best practices among states, child care providers, partners and staff. We moved to this holistic approach that looks at compliance with rules, based on licensing standards, environmental factors that support health and safety, and incorporating elements that evaluate teacher/child interactions that encourage overall learning, development and well-being. Our focus is on helping providers move forward to continuously improve and reach the highest levels of quality. The QRIS tool captures observations conducted four times over the period of a year looking at all classrooms to allow for continuous improvement, gives opportunities for immediate feedback, provides ability to deploy timely resources, and promotes professional development.

Upcoming QRIS Updates for the 2027 Rating Year beginning October 1, 2026

We are committed to supporting child care providers with clear, timely information that helps maintain high‑quality care for children and families. As we approach the end of the current rating year, please review the following updates designed to keep our statewide system consistent and effective.

Critical Violations – Effective October 1, 2026
Starting October 1st, each critical violation cited during a QRIS visit will result in a 3‑point deduction from the visit score. If a critical violation occurs between visits, the deduction will be applied to the next QRIS visit.

Health and Safety Violations
When a Health and Safety violation is cited during a QRIS visit, and a related Teacher‑Child indicator applies, points will also be deducted for that corresponding area. For example, a lapse of supervision due to a staff member using a phone may also result in a deduction for lack of engagement with children.

Annual Training Requirements – Effective September 2026
To ensure all programs are prepared for year‑end scoring, agencies will receive a 3‑point deduction from the final Annual Score if any staff who have been employed for at least one year have not completed their required annual training. Staff employed less than one year will not be included in this review. To avoid any potential delays in subsidy payments, we encourage providers to complete all required trainings by September 15th.

The Tennessee Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education Program recently launched a quarterly e-newsletter as an educational resource to promote more environmentally safe operation of child care centers across our state. Their first newsletter covered mold and staying weather aware. They plan to cover many topics in future newsletters, from heat safety to carbon monoxide poisoning prevention. Subscribe by clicking here!