Last Updated August 10, 2022

You can access the following schools and Child Tax Credit guidance as a Google doc here.

The 2021 Child Tax Credit expansion provides a historic opportunity to reduce child poverty in the United States by more than 40 percent. Nearly every family is eligible to receive the expanded Child Tax Credit this year, including families who haven’t filed a tax return and families who don’t have recent income. Even though the tax season has ended, eligible families can claim the CTC through November 15, 2022. Your continued outreach efforts are needed!

The expanded Child Tax Credit provides each qualifying household up to $3,600 for each child under age 6 and $3,000 for each child between 6 and 17. The credit is not a loan, and it does not change eligibility for public benefits.

Families that received the first half of the CTC through advance payments in 2021, must file a 2021 tax return to get the remainder of the credit. Families that did not get the advance payments last year, can get the full Child Tax Credit by filing a 2021 tax return.

Schools have a unique opportunity to reach parents and guardians for CTC outreach. All levels of administration from principals and superintendents to guidance counselors and teachers can play a role in bringing millions of dollars in much needed support to the most vulnerable families.

Here are five ways schools can engage CTC outreach efforts.

1. 1. 1. Host CTC awareness events. Help parents in your schools become CTC ambassadors in their community by introducing the credit and sharing resources for help to get it. Share information about the CTC during back-to-school registration and meetings. Use this CTC toolkit to share the basics and answer questions.
      2. Provide in-person spaces for parents to sign up. Some parents may not have access to a computer or good Wi-Fi. Provide a space at school with computers and direct parents to GetCTC.org (available through November 15, 2022 at 11:59 pm PT) to file. Alternatively, provide parents with Internet access through a hotspot so that they can access GetCTC.org on their own personal devices.
      3.  Include CTC messaging in parent communications. Send newsletters or emails to parents alerting them about the credit and how to get it. Include flyers or mailers in mailings. Use multilingual materials available in Arabic, Chinese, Creole, French, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Record a hold message for parents calling the school.
      4. Train staff to be CTC advocates. Prepare all staff to ask parents, “Have you received all of your Child Tax Credit payments?” Staff can direct families who haven’t to GetCTC. Use these resources to train teachers and guidance counselors who are interested in answering questions about the CTC and helping parents file on GetCTC. Share this 20-minute video to hear how a school district has been successfully conducting CTC outreach efforts.

5. Post CTC information on social media. Use this social media toolkit to share information about the credit on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. And use these multilingual social media posts to share content in Arabic, Chinese, Creole, French, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.