State Profile | Ohio

The Afterschool Investments project has developed profiles for each state to provide a snapshot of the "state of afterschool," as well as an opportunity to compare afterschool activities across the country. This profile provides key data and descriptions of the afterschool landscape, which includes a range of out-of-school time programming that can occur before and after school, on weekends, and during summer months. It is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers, administrators, and providers.

• Quick Facts
• Statewide Initiatives
• Notable Local Initiatives
• Statewide Organizations
• Additional Resources
• Notes and Sources

Quick Facts

Demographics

For more demographic information, visit http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/statepro/index.html

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

CCDF Administrative Overview

Settings

Where CCDF-Subsidy school age-children are served:

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool

"Resource and referral and school-age" targeted funds:
Funds may be used to support technical assistance for providers, assessments using SACERS instrument, professional development, and capacity building.

Other quality activities:
Funds may be used for comprehensive consumer education, grants or loans to providers to assist in meeting state and local standards, and to monitor licensing and regulatory requirements. They can also be used for professional development, improving childcare providers’ salaries, activities promoting inclusive childcare, and for youth focused health programs.

Provider Reimbursement Rates

Tiered Reimbursement Rate System:  
There is a 5% increase for accreditation and/ or having a quality rating.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

Program Licensing and Accreditation Policies

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)

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Statewide Initiatives

• Ohio’s Afterschool Initiative. The Afterschool Initiative is a project of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association and its twelve member child care resource and referral organizations, and is funded by Child Care and Development Fund quality dollars through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.  An Afterschool Specialist in each of the agencies provides assessments using the SACERS tool, training and technical assistance to out-of-school time programs throughout Ohio.  Piloted in 2006 and now part of the state’s Step Up to Quality program, the Afterschool Initiative has helped to improve quality at over 1,000 out-of-school time centers and agencies. 

  For more information, see www.occrra.org

• Ohio Afterschool Network. In 2003, afterschool stakeholders in Ohio established the Ohio Afterschool Network to advocate with a unified voice for sustained investments in safe, healthy and nurturing afterschool experiences.  Funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the networks serves as a vehicle to bring together a number of systems, networks and stakeholders, including policymakers, educators, parents, law enforcement, child advocates and providers.   In August 2006, OAN published a gap analysis that documents a shortfall of 240,357 between needed and available afterschool slots.  In the spring of 2006, OAN leaders helped convince the Governor to make available through executive order $28.5M in TANF funds for summer and afterschool programs, with funding ending June 30, 2007. In the spring of 2007, OAN worked successfully with legislators and the Governor to have $10M in TANF funds available to summer and afterschool programs for both FY08 and FY09. OAN was also one of six afterschool state networks awarded a Supporting Student Success grant by the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices, the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

  For more information, see www.ohioafterschoolnetwork.org

• Ohio Action for Healthy Kids (OAFHK). OAFHK is a partnership of more than 30 state education, fitness, nutrition, and health organizations dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of Ohio’s children through better nutrition and physical activity in the school and afterschool environments.  OAFHK provides support for the development of school wellness councils, expanding meals–particularly breakfast and snacks- adequate and inclusive co-curricular physical activity programs, and ensuring healthy snacks and foods are provided in vending machines and other venues within the schools control. Through the support from the UPS Foundation, 10 regional teams have produced many new direct service programs.

  For more information, see www.OhioActionforHealthyKids.org

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Notable Local Initiatives

• Kids on Campus. Kids on Campus, an afterschool and summer program, is housed at Ohio University and serves low-income, at-risk Athens County children.  This rural community partnership program provides academic, enrichment, nutrition, and recreation opportunities at six local elementary schools and, during the summer, on the Ohio University campus.  Each day children participate in activities ranging from homework help to arts programs and receive a nutritious meal or snack.  Bus transportation is also provided to the children’s homes. The program is supported by a combination of funding sources including the local Department of Job & Family Services, 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants, foundations and local businesses and community members.
• Columbus Capitol Kids. The Cap City Kids program was launched by the mayor to improve the quality of the afterschool opportunities in Columbus. Using program standards developed by the Mayor’s Office of Education in collaboration with education and community leaders, the city initially supported five pilot sites to see if this would result in positive outcomes, such as higher student achievement and more engagement in social activity. When student report cards indicated that these goals were being achieved, the city expanded the program to operate in a total of 20 sites. The Mayor’s Office of Education is also working with youth-serving agencies such as the YMCA to encourage the broader use of these standards throughout the community.
• Stark County Afterschool Council. In 2002, the Stark Community Foundation began researching afterschool programs and hired the Stark Education Partnership to conduct a study on the needs of afterschool programs within the county. The final study recommended the creation of a Stark County Afterschool Council, which was launched in the spring of 2003. The Council’s four main goals are to encourage the creation of quality afterschool programs in grades one through eight, develop programmatic standards, provide information about funding options, and raise public awareness on the value of afterschool programs. During the 2006-2007 school year, eight Canton City Neighborhood/Faith Based Afterschool Programs formed a collaborative called NASI (Neighborhood Afterschool Initiative).  In partnership the Foundation, Canton City Schools, and NASI have successfully applied for two 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants, during 07-08 and 08-09 to serve six elementary schools in Canton.
• Cleveland Youth Development Initiative. In 2007, the Youth Development Initiative (YDI) was formed to create a youth development system to be a catalyst of support to the communities in Cuyahoga County.  YDI is based on youth development principles and practices.  This has resulted in a wide-ranging collaboration with government, business leaders, agencies, schools, libraries, community development corporations, faith-based organizations, youth and parents. Partners in the initiative thus far include The Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners, The City of Cleveland, Saint Luke’s Foundation, Sisters of Charity, United Way Services, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, CVS Caremark, Center for Community Solutions, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Partnership for Safer Cleveland, Voices for Ohio’s Children and Starting Point.
  
  In Summer 2007, Starting Point (YDI Lead Agency) issued an RFP through which 26 organizations Cuyahoga County were funded.  Funding priorities included education, career exploration, arts, youth 12-14, kinship care and recreation.  As a result, an additional 3,152 slots were expanded for the summer.  The Lead Agency issued an RFP to select eight pilot neighborhood sites to launch YDI programs.  The initiative design builds on each community’s assets to ensure sustainability and supports for where youth live.
• CincyAfterSchool Partnership. In 2004, Cincinnati Public Schools, the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, United Way, and over 25 partner agencies launched an effort to transform all schools into community learning centers. Informed by a community engagement process during the city’s $1 billion school construction and renovation effort, CincyAfterSchool currently serves 25 schools with plans to expand to all over the next 10 years.  As centers of each neighborhood, schools are increasing access to enrichment opportunities for all members for the community, including the arts, mental, primary, and dental health, and academics.
• Columbus IMPACT (Instructing Metropolitan Partners About Community Teaching). The goal of the IMPACT program, funded by The Huntington National Bank, is to improve the quantity and quality of afterschool programs in Franklin County through faith communities. The program provides faith-based organizations with training in resource development, program planning, staffing, and management, as well as assistance with business plan development and connections to other resources in the community. In 2005, a new AmeriCorps program called "Making an IMPACT" placed AmeriCorps members at multiple IMPACT sites to assist their staff with effective programming for children. Children’s Hunger Alliance’s work with faith-based organizations in the IMPACT program was recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a 2004 Innovation in Prevention Award, which highlights businesses and organizations that are leading efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in their communities.

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Statewide Organizations

National AfterSchool Association Affiliate:

Ohio AfterSchool Association
3426 Lyleburn Place
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Phone: 513-721-7635 ext. 222
Email: lmitchell@ppswo.org
Web:  http://www.ohioafterschool.org/

Statewide Child Care Resource & Referral Network:

Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA)
6660 Doubletree Avenue, Suite 11
Columbus, Ohio  43229
Toll Free Phone: 877-547-6978
Fax:  614-396-5960
Web: http://www.occrra.org

Children’s Hunger Alliance
370 South Fifth Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-341-7700 ext. 219
Email: KReichart@ChildrensHungerAlliance.org
Web: http://www.ChildrensHungerAlliance.org

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Additional Resources

State Child Care Administrators:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/display.cfm?title=ccdf

State TANF Contacts:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/states/tanf-dr.htm

21st Century Community Learning Centers Contacts:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/contacts.html

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Notes and Sources

Demographics

Total population: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau.

Number of children ages 5-12: Estimates of the Resident Population by Single-Year of Age and Sex for the United States and States: July 1, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau.

Percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch rate: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

Percent of K-12 students in Title I "schoolwide" schools: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. The federal Title I program provides funding to local school districts and schools with high percentages of poor children to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from poor families are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school.

Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the largest federal funding source for child care. States receive a funding allocation determined by formula and have broad flexibility to design programs that provide child care subsidies for low-income children under the age of 13 and to enhance the quality of child care for all children. Federal CCDF funding consists of mandatory, matching, and discretionary funds. Federal law requires that states spend at least 4 percent of their CCDF funds as well as additional targeted funds on activities to improve the quality and availability of child care. CCDF administrative data in this and the following sections is from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau, as reported by States, unless otherwise noted.

FFY08 state MOE plus match: In order to receive Federal matching funds, a state must expend Maintenance of Effort funds. Note that this does not capture actual expenditures, only the minimum required to draw down all available federal funds.

FFY08 Tribal CCDF Allocation: Federal CCDF Funds are awarded directly to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

FFY06 total quality expenditures: This data includes FY06 and prior year funds expended for quality from each of the CCDF funding streams (mandatory, matching, and discretionary) and expenditures under targeted funds for infant and toddler, school-age care and resource and referral. This figure provides information obtained from state financial reports submitted for FY06.

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool: Portions of CCDF discretionary funds are targeted specifically for resource and referral and school-age child care activities as well as for quality expansion. (These funds are in addition to the required 4 percent minimum quality expenditure.)

Maximum rate for school-age category: Rate listed applies to center-based care; where rates vary by region or county, the rate for the most populated urban area is given.

Standardized monthly school-age rate: Monthly rate for a child, in school-age care at a center in the largest urban area of the state at four hours per day, 20 days per month. Calculated using information from the FY2008-2009 State CCDF Plan, including payment rate structures, as submitted to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Separate subsidy rates for part-time vs. full time and Tiered Reimbursement Rate Systems: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Care Bureau. Report of State Plans FY2008-2009.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY06 that were awarded in FY06 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Program Licensing and Accreditation Policies

States with separate school-age licensing standards and states with specialized requirements for child care centers serving school-age children: National Association for Regulatory Administration, 2005 Child Care Licensing Study, available at http://www.nara.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=104.

Ratio of children to adults in school-age setting: Data from the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), available at: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov.

Number of NAA-accredited programs: from the National AfterSchool Association, June 2008, available at: http://www.naaweb.org.

21st Century Community Learning Centers

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 converted the 21st Century Community Learning Centers’ authority to a state formula grant. In past years, the U.S. Department of Education made competitive awards directly to school districts. Under the reauthorized law, funds flow to states based on their share of Title I, Part A funds. States use their allocations to make competitive awards to eligible entities. Data from the U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers Office and the 21st CCLC Profile and Performance Information Collection System as of August 2008.

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The Child Care Bureau awarded a technical assistance contract to The Finance Project for the Afterschool Investments project. The goals of the Afterschool Investments project include:

• Identifying ways that state and communities are using Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy and quality dollars to support out-of-school time programs, and sharing these practices and approaches with other states;
• Identifying administrative and implementation issues related to CCDF investments in out-of-school time programs, and providing information and context (about barriers, problems, opportunities) as well as practical tools that will help CCDF administrators make decisions; and
• Identifying other major programs and sectors that are potential partners for CCDF in supporting out-of-school time programs and providing models, strategies, and tools for coordination with other programs and sectors.

Contact Us:

Email:
afterschool@financeproject.org

Web:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/

The Finance Project
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-587-1000
Web: www.financeproject.org

The Afterschool Investments project's State Profiles are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of noteworthy State and local initiatives across the country. Inclusion of an initiative in the Profiles does not represent an endorsement of a particular policy or practice.