Application to participate in the quality rating and improvement system shall be voluntary for applicable child care and early childhood education programs with the following exceptions:

(1) Beginning July 1, 2014, and not later than December 31, 2014, each applicable child care or early childhood education program that received over five hundred thousand dollars in child care assistance pursuant to section 68-1202 for FY2011-12 shall apply to participate in the quality rating and improvement system and shall be assigned a quality scale rating as provided in sections 71-1956 and 71-1958;

(2) Beginning July 1, 2015, and not later than December 31, 2015, each applicable child care or early childhood education program that received over two hundred fifty thousand dollars in child care assistance pursuant to section 68-1202 for FY2011-12 shall apply to participate in the quality rating and improvement system and shall be assigned a quality scale rating as provided in sections 71-1956 and 71-1958; and

(3) Beginning July 1, 2016, each applicable child care or early childhood education program that received over two hundred fifty thousand dollars in child care assistance pursuant to section 68-1202 in the preceding fiscal year shall, not later than December 31 of the applicable year or six months after actual receipt of such assistance, whichever is later, apply to participate in the quality rating and improvement system and shall be assigned a quality scale rating as provided in sections 71-1956 and 71-1958.