CCMPL 85 (Revised Step Up To Quality [SUTQ] Procedures)
Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 85
January 20, 2015
TO: All Child Care Manual Holders
FROM: Cynthia C. Dungey, Director
SUBJECT: Revised Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) Procedures

Background:

As the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) implement the five-star Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) program, the departments continue to identify areas to strengthen efficiency and consistency.

New Policy:

SUTQ rules have been original filed to include the policy changes detailed below. These amended rules will be effective April 1, 2015, but ODJFS will implement the policy changes effective the date of this letter.

Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule 5101:2-17-03

1.Rating effective date

A.The rating effective date will now be the Sunday following the thirtieth day after the completion of the verification visit or the Sunday following the thirtieth day after the end of the deferral period. This will also be the effective date of the SUTQ increase to publicly funded child care (PFCC) pursuant to rule 5101:2-16-41 of the Administrative Code. Note: This change will be implemented beginning with all verifications visits completed on or after the effective date of this letter.

2.Expedited Rating

A.If an owner owns multiple licensed programs of which fifty percent have a star rating and two or more of the programs have a three, four or five-star rating, a rating can be awarded during the provisional license period.

1.The new program must request the rating in writing during the application process, or within the first thirty days of the provisional license period.

2.The rating awarded shall equal the lowest of the three, four or five-star rated programs if:

a.All administrators and staff meet the qualifications outlined in the appendices to rule 5101:2-17-01 of the Administrative Code.

b.The program implements a written, researched-based, comprehensive curriculum aligned with the early learning and development standards and/or Ohio K-12 standards, appropriate to the age group served, and which shows alignment to the program's identified assessment process.

3.If the program is unable to meet these requirements, a lesser star rating may be awarded.

4.Once the initial star-rating has been awarded, in order to continue to be star-rated, the program must submit a full SUTQ registration within four months of the rating begin date and comply with a verification visit. A rating will be awarded based on the outcome of the desk review and/or verification visit.

5.If the program doesn't submit a full SUTQ registration or comply with the verification visit, the rating will be discontinued four months after the rating begin date.

3.Change of owner of star-rated program

A.If a currently rated program changes ownership, the new program may be awarded a rating during the provisional period.

1.The currently rated program shall have been rated for at least 13 consecutive months.

2.The new program must request the rating in writing during the application process, or within the first thirty days of the provisional license period.

3.The rating awarded shall equal the current rating if:

a.All administrators and staff meet the qualifications outlined in the appendices to rule 5101:2-17-01 of the Administrative Code.

b.The program implements a written, researched-based, comprehensive curriculum aligned with the early learning and development standards and/or Ohio K-12 standards, appropriate to the age group served, and which shows alignment to the program's identified assessment process.

4.If the program is unable to meet these requirements a lesser star rating may be awarded.

5.Once the initial star-rating has been awarded, in order to continue the star rating, the program must submit a full SUTQ registration within four months of the rating begin date and comply with a verification visit. A rating will be awarded based on the outcome of the desk review and/or verification visit.

6.If the program doesn't submit a full SUTQ registration or comply with the verification visit, the rating will be discontinued four months after the rating begin date.

4.Change of location

A.If a program changes location, the rating shall continue if documentation is provided that all staff meet the staff qualifications outlined in the appendices to rule 5101:2-17-01 of the Administrative Code and the documentation is submitted to ODJFS within thirty days of the location change.

5..Family child care change of provider type

A.If a star-rated type A home provider applies to be a licensed type B home provider or a star-rated licensed type B home provider applies to be a type A home provider, the rating shall continue if all staff meet the staff qualifications outlined in the appendices to rule 5101:2-17-01 of the Administrative Code and the documentation is submitted to ODJFS within thirty days from the begin date of the provisional license.

Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule 5101:2-17-04

1.Rating reductions

A.If a star-rating is reduced due to serious risk non-compliance (SRNC) or because ODJFS determines the program is not meeting a SUTQ standard:

1.The new reduced rating will expire twelve months after the new rating begin date.

2.The program may not request a change in rating for six months from the new rating begin date.

3.The program must submit a registration prior to the new rating expiration date to maintain a rating.

2.Rating removals

A.If a star-rating is removed due to a SRNC or because ODJFS determines the program is not meeting an SUTQ standard, the program may not register for a rating for twelve months from the date of removal.

Please contact the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions.