By: The Marietta Times editorial board Access article As our country begins to reopen and return to what feels more like ‘normal,’ parents will once again be relying on child care as they return to in-person work.
It is good, then, to get confirmation Ohio lawmakers understand the importance of child care. According to the Ohio Capital Journal, leaders of child care facilities and advocates were worried about the fate of Step Up to Quality, as a Senate revision of the budget noted elimination of the state’s standard-monitoring system and ranking method for licensed child care programs was coming. It was saved in the final budget revision Gov. Mike DeWine signed.
That budget also widened financial eligibility for publicly funded childcare in the state, including for special needs children. That is good news and will help many working families, but as Shannon Jones of Groundwork Ohio noted, “the increase is modest and still leaves Ohio behind other states.”