Childcare scholarships available to some virtual school families

ATLANTA - Virtual learning has no doubt caused financial hardships for some families. For many, it means updating equipment, buying desks, and taking on a new childcare bill. But help is on the way.

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is offering scholarships for families who have to send their children to e-school at a childcare center.

It’s called the SOLVE Scholarship: Supporting Onsite Learning for Virtual Education. It’s a scholarship for Georgia public school children who are part of a virtual learning model right now.

The state believes it will have about 5,000 scholarships to offer. There are looking at an average of about $118 a week in financial aid here.

Here are some rules of engagement. You will need to be with a licensed childcare provider. This is for children 5 to 12 years old who attend a virtual-only school. This is meaningful as about 40 percent of Georgia schools are using this e-school model.

Your income can’t be more than 85 percent of the state’s medium income. An example would be a family of four with an income at $64,000.

If you already hold a Georgia Gateway Client ID, have it ready. If not, you will need two current paycheck stubs for each parent or guardian.

If you hold a CAPS scholarship, you are not eligible. It’s one or the other, CAPS or SOLVE.

The SOLVE scholarship is available for three months. It could potentially be extended if virtual school continues. This state money is part of the federal CARES Act.

Here's your application link: SOLVE SCHOLARSHIP.