*NOTE: This section was created by emergency legislation with identical permanent legislation that will become effective in January, 2022.*
(a) There is established as a special fund the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund ("Fund"), which shall be administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
(b) The following funds shall be deposited into the Fund:
(1) In Fiscal Year 2022, $53,920,878 in local funds;
(2) In Fiscal Year 2023, $72,889,092 in local funds;
(3) In Fiscal Year 2024, $73,883,680 in local funds;
(4) In Fiscal Year 2025, $74,878,268 in local funds ("base amount"); and
(5) Beginning with Fiscal Year 2026, and annually thereafter, an amount equal to the base amount increased each year by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-MD-VA-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area (or such successor metropolitan statistical area that includes the District) increase for the preceding calendar year; and
(6) Any additional appropriated funds.
(c) The Fund shall be used to:
(1) Support the implementation of an employee compensation salary scale to increase the minimum compensation for employees of early childhood development providers as passed or approved by Council; and
(2) Pay agency administrative costs, including personnel costs and costs related to providing technical assistance to early childhood development providers, related to increasing the minimum compensation for employees of early childhood development providers pursuant to a salary scale passed or approved by the Council; provided, that such administrative costs shall not exceed $5 million in Fiscal Year 2022 and 5% in any fiscal year thereafter of the annual amount deposited into the Fund.
(d)(1) Money deposited into the Fund but not expended in a fiscal year shall not revert to the unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a fiscal year, or at any time.
(2) Subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "Early childhood development provider" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 38-271.01(1G).
(Aug. 23, 2021, D.C. Act 24-159, § 5102, 68 DCR 008602.)
Emergency LegislationFor temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 5102 of Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-159, Aug. 23, 2021, 68 DCR 008602).