Background:

Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) is a five-tiered quality rating and improvement system designed to improve the quality of early learning and development programs.

Chapters 5101:2-12 and 5101:2-13 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC), permit a licensed child care program to temporarily close their license by requesting a voluntary temporary closure in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS). A temporary closure cannot exceed the period of twelve months. Prior to re-opening, a program must request reinstatement of the license in OCLQS. Additionally, if the program has a provider agreement to provide publicly funded child care (PFCC) pursuant to Chapter 5101:2-16 of the OAC, the program must resubmit a provider agreement prior to providing PFCC.

When a SUTQ star rated program has been temporarily closed for more than 90 days, the star rating is discontinued. A SUTQ star rating approved prior to the temporary closure is not automatically reinstated when a program’s license is reinstated. Chapter 5101:2-17 of the OAC, requires a program to apply for reinstatement in OCLQS within the first thirty days after their license has been reinstated.

If the SUTQ star rated program has a provider agreement to provide publicly funded child care (PFCC) pursuant to Chapter 5101:2-16 of the OAC, the program must request to reinstate the star rating prior to the reopening of the license to avoid a gap in receiving the PFCC base rate and star-rating enhancements for PFCC provided.

New Policy:

Programs will no longer be required to request reinstatement of their star rating when reactivating their license when a program has been temporarily closed for more than 90 days.  The rating will automatically be reinstated to the previous rating when the license is reactivated. The new rating effective date will be the Sunday following the reactivation date.

In order to continue the star rating the program must:

a.Submit an ongoing registration within 60 days of the new rating begin date; and

b.Comply with a desk review including documents returned for revision and the on-site verification visit.

If the program fails to submit an ongoing registration, the rating will be discontinued 61 days after the rating is reinstated.

Programs will still need to resubmit a provider agreement pursuant to Chapter 5101:2-16 of the OAC, prior to providing PFCC.

Implementation:

This change will be effective in OCLQS on September 30, 2023. Chapter 5101:2-17 of the OAC, will reflect this change on a future date.

Please contact the Child Care Policy Help Desk at childcarepolicy@jfs.ohio.gov or 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions.