When Inefficiency Threatens Quality: The Challenges of OSSE’s Admission Form Process

Child care providers are deeply committed to supporting families and ensuring that children receive quality care in a safe, nurturing environment. However, recent updates to the process for submitting Admission Forms for subsidized child care services have introduced significant challenges that make our work harder and less efficient. While safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is critical, the current system imposed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) fails to address practical realities and fairness for providers.

Let’s dive into why this process is problematic and what needs to change.

The Problem: Inconsistencies and Inefficiencies

1. Contradictory Security Practices

OSSE has prohibited providers from emailing Admission Forms to protect sensitive information. These forms are crucial, as they confirm a child’s enrollment and initiate payment. Yet, providers continue to receive the same forms from the Department of Human Services (DHS) via unencrypted email.

How can providers be held to strict security standards when the sending agency fails to follow these same protocols? This inconsistency not only undermines the goal of protecting PII but also erodes trust in the process. If providers are expected to adopt stricter standards (which we respect and understand), then DHS must be held to the same requirements. Both parties need to align on secure data-handling practices.

Additionally, there is no clear, reliable point of contact for providers to follow up on submitted forms. A lack of transparency in the process leaves providers in limbo, unsure if forms have been received, processed, or approved. A system with real-time status updates would build trust and ensure that payments are processed on time.

Simplify the Submission Process

• Implement a centralized, secure portal with digital signature capabilities.

• Eliminate redundant manual steps and reduce reliance on flawed systems like DELLT.

2. Risk of Payment Delays

The current process exposes providers to significant payment delays. Admission forms can go unattended due to the lack of a reliable follow-up system (e.g., case managers responsible for intake). With no clear contact, providers are left in the dark about whether forms have been processed or rejected.

The burden becomes even heavier after 30 days when providers discover a child’s information was not entered into the system, delaying payment further. The solution? Submit an error report—using the same faulty system—and wait another month, hoping for resolution. This lack of transparency and efficiency leaves providers stuck tracking submissions and troubleshooting issues in an opaque process.

3. The Administrative Burden of Error Reporting

The process for addressing errors in this new process is unnecessarily time-consuming and distracts from the primary goal of delivering high-quality care to children. Providers are required to report errors through unreliable systems, all while dealing with glitches and technical failures.

This endless cycle of administrative work is exhausting, stretching providers mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s as if the system is designed to make serving children more burdensome rather than easier.

What Needs to Change

To address these issues, OSSE must make meaningful changes to its processes, systems, and overall approach. Here are key recommendations:

1. Protect Providers’ Payments

• Introduce a grace period for resolving errors without delaying payments.

• Providers should not bear the risk of systemic inefficiencies.

2. Fix the System

• Invest in improving the functionality and reliability of DELLT, OATS, and SEA.

• Ensure technical support is readily available.

• Stop penalizing providers for errors caused by the system.

3. Ensure Transparency

• Establish clear points of contact for follow-up.

• Provide real-time updates on form submissions and payment statuses.

4. Align Regulations and Practices

• Ensure that OSSE staff and divisions operate with knowledge and fairness.

• Align sublevels of regulation clearly for accuracy and consistency.

5. Improve Accountability

• Create a platform for providers to file complaints against OSSE with full disclosures.

• Disclose contractor details to ensure fairness and prevent conflicts of interest.

Why This Matters

Child care providers are the backbone of working families and communities, providing essential care and education that sets children up for success. Adding unnecessary bureaucracy not only creates frustration but also jeopardizes the financial stability of providers. Late payments disrupt operations, and administrative hurdles lead to burnout.

Providers deserve a process that values their contributions, reduces inefficiencies, and ensures transparency.

Conclusion: Providers Deserve Better

The current Admission Form process creates unnecessary risks and burdens for child care providers while offering little accountability from OSSE or DHS. It is time for these agencies to prioritize solutions that support providers and, ultimately, the families and children we serve.

We must advocate for a system that works for everyone—providers, families, and children.

Share your experiences, join the conversation, and let’s push for a system that aligns with the shared mission of providing quality child care.