CCMPL 149 (Revisions for the School-Age Professional Endorsement)
Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 149
February 17, 2022
TO: All Child Care Manual Holders
FROM: Matt Damschroder, Director
SUBJECT: Revisions for the School-Age Professional Endorsement

Background:

As of September 1, 2020, child care programs were required to participate in Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) in order to provide publicly funded child care services, unless exempt. This includes programs serving school-age children as well as stand-alone school-age programs.

Due to the nature of school-age programs, school-age professionals are often individuals who only work part-time at the program when school-age children are present. As a result, a school-age endorsement was implemented on August 1, 2018 to support school-age professionals in obtaining the targeted professional development and classroom experience needed to meet the SUTQ education requirements and to best meet the needs of school-age children.

Teachers and administrators in all programs regulated by the Ohio Department of Job and Family  Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) can apply for the endorsement.

Overview of the School-Age Professional Endorsement:

The School-Age Professional Endorsement is designed for teachers and administrators working in centers and family child care (FCC) programs in which school-age children are enrolled including school-age only programs. There are three levels of endorsements: School-Age Assistant Teacher, School-Age Lead Teacher, and School-Age Administrator.

Professionals who work with school-age children can use the endorsement as an option to meet SUTQ education requirements for all five-star ratings. The endorsement requires experience in a regulated ODJFS/ODE program and Ohio Approved prescribed coursework specific to working with school-age children. Each school-age endorsement also requires a high school diploma or an Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma (formally GED).

Each school-age endorsement is an option for one- to five-star rated programs. However, extra points cannot be attained by administrators for four- to five-star ratings. Administrators will also need to meet the licensing administrator qualifications pursuant to rule 5101:2- 12-07, 5101:2-13-07 or 3301-32-03 of Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). All new and current administrators in programs serving only school-age children and child care staff in a school-age only group can use the endorsement to meet the Staff Education requirements found in the appendices to rule 5101:2-17-01 of the OAC.

Action:

The number of hours of experience required for the School-Age Administrator Professional Endorsement is being reduced from 1400 hours to 800 hours for an initial endorsement and from 800 hours to 600 hours for an endorsement renewal. This change should make the hours more attainable for administrators.

Components of the School-Age Professional Endorsement:

The endorsement’s school-age professional levels build on each other. The levels are calculated on hours, not points, and include a combination of Ohio Approved prescribed courses, Ohio Approved professional selected courses, and hours of experience.

Ohio Approved Courses

COURSE TITLES FOR OHIO APPROVED PRESCRIBED SCHOOL-AGE COURSEWORK
 

Assistant

Teacher

Lead

Teacher

Administrator

The Art of Programming and Activity Planning

(3 hours)

  X   X   X

Managing Behaviors Using Knowledge of Child Development and Guidance and Discipline Strategies in School-age Programs

(2 hours)

  X   X   X

Managing Environmental Influences on Behavior in School-age Programs

(2 hours)

  X   X   X

Creating Meaningful Child Interactions and Engaging Families in School-age Programs

(3 hours)

  X   X   X

The Role of the School-age Professional in Applying Social and Emotional Learning Strategies in School-age Programs

(2.5 hours)

    X   X

Managing Societal Influences on Social Emotional Development in School-age Programs

(2.5 Hours)

    X   X

Creating Leaders and Managing Staff for School-Age Program Administrators

(2 hours)

      X

Developing Productive Relationships with Families, Schools, and Communities by School-Age Program Administrators

(3 hours)

      X

School-Age Endorsement Renewal Course

(2 hours)

X X X
 
OHIO APPROVED COURSES (SELECTED BY PROFESSIONAL)
Type of Endorsement Required Hours for Initial Endorsement Required Hours for Endorsement Renewal
School-Age Assistant Teacher None 3
School-Age Lead Teacher 5 3
School-Age Administrator 5 3
 

The school-age prescribed Ohio Approved coursework must be completed within the previous six years for the initial SA Lead Teacher Endorsement. This timeframe does not change as a professional increases their endorsement level.

A professional's Ohio Approved coursework can be used to meet the requirement for professional-selected coursework when increasing an endorsement level if the coursework was:

  • completed after the date of the most recently issued endorsement; or
  • completed within the previous two years.

The school-age prescribed coursework counts toward the Professional Development Certificate in the biennium in which the courses are completed.

Hours of Experience

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE IN REGULATED ODJFS/ODE PROGRAM
Type of Endorsement

Required Hours for

Initial Endorsement

Additional Hours for

Endorsement Renewal

School-Age Assistant Teacher 200 200
School-Age Lead Teacher 600 400
School-Age Administrator 800 600
 

Lead or Assistant Teachers can use experience from any age group. However, 600 hours of Administrator’s experience must be specifically in a program serving school-age children.

The initial endorsement does not require experience to fall within a specific previous time period.

However, renewals do require new experience from the date of the last endorsement award going forward.

Endorsement Level Increase and Renewal

A professional cannot have more than one endorsement at the same time.

An endorsement may be renewed 60 days prior to the expiration in the professional's Ohio Professional Registry (OPR) profile. It is important not to wait until the expiration date to ensure staff continue to meet the qualifications for Step Up To Quality.

A professional can renew at their current endorsement level or at an endorsement level lower than their expiring endorsement. If the professional wishes to obtain a higher endorsement, then they must apply for a higher level.

The endorsement will be discontinued two years from the award date unless the professional renews or increases their endorsement level. If the endorsement is discontinued and the professional wishes to attain another endorsement, the professional must go through the application process starting with the application for the SA Assistant Teacher Professional Endorsement.

Implementation: These revisions will be effective on February 14, 2022.

For more information on the School-Age Endorsement go to: School-Age Endorsement - OCCRRA

If you have any questions, please contact the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA) at 614-396-5959 or Toll Free 1-877-547-6978, option 1 or support@occrra.org.