White, Child Care Study Committee Discuss First Draft of Recommendations

COLUMBUS – State Representative Andrea White (R-Kettering) and the legislature's Study Committee on Ohio’s Publicly Funded Childcare and the Step-up to Quality Program  met recently to discuss the first draft of potential recommendations presented by White and her joint co-chair Senator Jerry Cirino.

For the past 10 months, the study committee has heard testimony from industry providers, parents, child care professionals and advocates on how to improve and sustain access to quality early learning and publicly funded child care in Ohio.  The committee's report is due to the General Assembly by December 1st.

“The costs of child care continue to skyrocket, with options dwindling for families and providers struggling to find workers," White said.  "Finding affordable quality early learning and child care is a huge issue for our workforce, our businesses and most importantly our children. Jointly co-chairing this committee with Senator Cirino has been an eye-opening and informative process with so many individuals coming forward to share their observations of the great needs around our state - as well as their best ideas on how to move forward."

"My hope is that the committee's final recommendations will lay the groundwork for future opportunities to increase child care providers and professionals, allow more people to enter the workforce and continue to help lower the cost and increase the quality so that all of our children arrive ready for kindergarten - which is the largest predictor of future educational success," White said. 

The report is scheduled to be complete by Dec. 1.  To view presentations and written testimony submitted to the committee over the past 10 months, click HERE.

For more information, please contact White's office at 614-644-6008.