Early Childhood Services Bureau Best Beginnings Quality Programs CACFP HeadStart School Readiness

Merit Pay

Merit Pay is a program to offer monetary incentives to people who are working in a registered group or family child care home, licensed child care center, Head Start, Early Head Start, Tribal Head Start, or Resource & Referral Agency.

Any individual who works at least 15 hours a week in a Montana licensed or registered child care facility, Head Start, Early Head Start, Tribal Head Start, or Resource & Referral Agency depending upon which Merit Pay being applied for.

All training must be approved by the Montana Training Approval System or be education provided through an accredited Montana College. Merit Pay training must be completed between August 1st and August 31st of the following year.

Merit Pay 1 and Higher Education Merit Pay applications are available to download with fillable fields. You may either fill out the forms electronically or print a copy to fill out by hand; however, all Merit Pay applications require original signatures. Merit Pay applications must be sent as hard copies to the Early Childhood Services Bureau (ECSB), by the time and date listed for each program. Applicants MUST retain a copy of the original application prior to sending the original to the ECSB.

The forms are fillable online. Please fill in electronically, print off, sign and date it and mail completed form.

Merit Pay Brochure

Merit Pay I - due in our office no later than 5pm, September 19, 2008
Higher Education Merit Pay (Fall Semester) - due in our office no later than 5pm, June 6, 2008
Higher Education Merit Pay (Spring/Summer) - due in our office no later than 5pm, Nov. 21, 2008

W-9
Practitioner’s Registry
Plan of Study Summary Form - Merit Pay I
Plan of Study Summary Form - Higher Education Merit Pay
Request to Change Plan of Study

Montana Colleges and Universities
Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
MtAEYC
MtCCA

Infant/Toddler Merit Pay:
Applications will no longer be necessary for Infant/Toddler Merit Pay. Once you have enrolled in the Montana Infant Toddler Training you are eligible for the Infant Toddler Merit Pay.

Infant/Toddler
Merit Pay

Individuals must successfully complete the 60 hour Montana Infant Toddler Training (a.ka. West ED training)
Priority is given to individuals who have never received Merit Pay before.
Payment of $500 will be awarded upon successful completion of training.

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Page last updated: 06/24/2008