February 3, 2025 – Columbus, OH – Today, Governor Mike DeWine released his Executive Budget Proposal for FY2026-2027 that included key priority investments and policy focused on young children and families. Lynanne Gutierrez, President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio, issued the following statement in response:
“Governor DeWine kicked off his press conference by renewing his commitment to Ohio’s youngest children. He underscored his priority by announcing increased child care investments, a new partially refundable state child tax credit for young children, and expanded home visiting. This budget strengthens families by enabling parents to remain connected to the workforce and provide for their families. We look forward to engaging our vast network of advocates across the state to protect and build upon these investments as the budget moves through the legislative process.”
Governor DeWine proposed the following:
Enacting a partially refundable state child tax credit for families with children birth to six years old to reduce poverty, support working families and invest in children.
Relevant Poll Data: By an overwhelming margin, Ohio voters (84%) support creating a Child Tax Credit to provide tax relief to working families, with 83% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats in favor of the relief efforts. The support of these voters edges even higher (87%) when they are informed that both Biden and Trump support expanding the Child Tax Credit. Over a third of parents with children five and younger (34%) share they have been having serious problems paying their rent or mortgage. (Source: Groundwork Ohio 2024 Poll)
Increasing access to high quality, affordable child care for working families at or below 200% the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Relevant Poll Data: More than 6-in-10 Ohio moms with children five and younger who do not currently work full time (61%) say they would go back to work if they had access to high quality and affordable child care. (Source: Groundwork Ohio 2024 Poll)
Supporting quality early learning experiences that prepare children for Kindergarten.
Increased investment in the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library.
Continued commitment to curriculum aligned to the science of reading.
Improving health outcomes for moms and babies by:
Expanding access to evidence-based home visiting from 10,000 to 35,000 families per year (25,000 more families to be served).
Groundwork Ohio will continue to evaluate key policies in the executive proposal alongside partners to better understand how it aligns with their policy agenda . Groundwork will elevate new policies and investments, among other priority needs for young children, at their upcoming Statehouse advocacy day on March 12, 2025.
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About Groundwork Ohio
Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age 5, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities. We advance quality early childhood systems in Ohio by engaging, educating, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders and strategic partners to promote data driven and evidence-based early childhood policies.