Background: The Ohio Department of Job and Family
Services (ODJFS) is required to review rules every five years. The following Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) rules
contained in Chapter 5101:2-17 of the Ohio Administrative Code have been revised
due to the five-year review. The rules
have been restructured into question and answer format to be consistent with
all child care chapters and adopted as new rules replacing the existing rule
numbers.
New Policy:
The following rules have been amended and will be effective January
6, 2019:
Rule 5101:2-17-01 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): program
standards" outlines definitions for SUTQ.
This rule has been amended to make the following changes:
- Added the following definitions: approved
related fields, assistant teacher, instructional time, lead teacher, and
substitute.
- Added early childhood education as an approved
related field.
- Corrected the maximum number of points
achievable for the five-star-rating to seventy-nine points.
- Added the words "all of" in meeting
the standards to indicate all standards must be met at the time of registration.
- Removed language instructing programs to upload
blank forms or sample documents to more accurately match the requirements of
the desk review and the on-site verification visit.
- Numbered the standards for easy reference and
added the name of each appendix to the bottom of each page. The following proposed amendments have been
made to the standards:
Centers and Family Child Care (FCC) -
Changes to All Star Ratings:
- Learning and
Development/Curriculum and Planning – CP 1 Added the K-12 Resource Guide
as an option to align with a curriculum. Clarified that the lead teacher has
available and can access the ELDS and/or Ohio K-12 Standards or K-12 Resource
Guide instead of requiring a hard copy.
- Learning and
Development/Curriculum and Planning – CP 2 Moved definition for
"instructional time" to rule 5101:2-17-01. Clarified that written activity plans must be
on file and not submitted at desk review.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Program Administration – PA 1 Eliminated
requirement for a summary from the "self-assessment tool" because the
information is captured on the assessment itself.
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Staff Education – SE 1 Added the Administrator,
Lead Teacher, and Assistant Teacher School-Age Professional Endorsements as an
option to meet education requirements.
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Professional Development – PD 1 All
staff will be prorated based on hire date, regardless of whether they worked in
a rated program in the previous biennium. Programs will not be required to have
all staff meeting the professional development requirement prior to registration. Once rated, programs will be required to
achieve the PD certificate, with the hours prorated based on the rating
date.
"Each
biennium" has been changed to "current or previous biennium".
Centers - Changes to All Star Ratings:
- Learning and Development/Interaction
and Environment – IE 1 Clarified that this is a "classroom
self-assessment tool."
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Staff Supports – SS 1 Changed the word
"process" to "structure" to match the written wage
structure requirement.
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Staff Education – SE 1 The types of approved
degrees were consolidated for early childhood education and school-age teachers
and are now defined in to rule
5101:2-17-01.
Centers – Change to One Star Rating:
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Staff Education – SE 1 Added Administrator
Credential 2 as an option for an administrator to meet the education
requirements.
Centers and FCC-
Changes to One Star Rating:
- Learning and Development/Curriculum
and Planning – CP 1 Clarified that the prescribed JFS 01508 "Action
Plan for Selecting a Curriculum for Step Up To Quality" (SUTQ) is only for
programs that have not selected a curriculum.
Centers-
Changes to Two- to Five-Star Ratings:
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Staff Supports – SS 2 Added "Paid professional
membership" back in as an approved staff support.
Centers and FCC - Changes to Two- to
Five-Star Ratings:
- Learning and
Development/Curriculum and Planning – CP 2 Removed "social studies
and science appropriate to the age group served and developmentally
appropriate" in order for programs to align activity plans to their
program.
- Learning and
Development/Child Screening and Assessment – CSA 1 Programs
"record" not "submit" the name of the screening tool.
Streamlined and removed duplicative language.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Program Administration – PA 2 Clarified that
"at least one action step" is required for the two-star rating and
"at least two action steps" for the three- and four/five- star
ratings for annual continuous improvement plans.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Program Administration – SM 2 Added a statement for
initial registrations that requires PD plans to be created for any individual
who has been employed for more than 30 days.
- Family and Community
Partnerships/Transitions – T2 Removed "The lead teacher (if not the
program owner) shall be able to describe the age appropriate activities used to
help children prepare for transitions." This is no longer an interview
question.
- Family and Community
Partnerships/Transitions – T3 Added that both programs and parents
determine what records can be shared during the transition.
- Family and Community
Partnerships/Community Engagement – CE 4 Programs provide families with one
health and one child development topic at one time or separately.
Centers and FCC - Changes to Three- to
Five-Star Ratings:
- Learning and
Development/Curriculum and Planning – CP 2 Added a requirement for lead
teachers to explain the activity planning process including how they implement
the curriculum and child assessment.
- Learning and
Development/Child Screening and Assessment – CSA 1 Clarified screening
tool requirements. Replaced "provide" with "submit" for
written documentation outlining a program's referral process.
- Learning and
Development/Child Screening and Assessment – CSA 1, and CSA 3 Clarified
screening and assessment by separating the requirements.
- Learning and
Development/Child Screening and Assessment – CSA 3 Clarified that
informal assessments are required for school-age children. Removed requirement
to share results of school-age informal assessments with families.
- Learning and
Development/Interaction and Environment – IE 1 Clarified that programs
need to maintain written documentation of the completions of the classroom
self-assessment instead of submitting the assessment to ODJFS.
- Learning and
Development/Interaction and Environment – IE 2 Added at least one area
of improvement needs to be identified. Clarified that "at least one action
step" is required for an identified area of improvement.
- Learning and
Development/Interaction and Environment – IE 3 Clarified that the
"Ohio Classroom Observation Tool (OCOT)" is the tool used.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Staff Management – SM 1 Added "position"
to the list of documentation required for formal observations.
- Family and Community
Partnerships/Communication and Engagement – CE 6 Replaced
"organizes" with "offers" and "provided” with
"offered".
- Family and Community
Partnerships/Communication and Engagement – CE 7 Separated community
resources from the referral process. Added that a program needs a description
of its referral policy including how it communicates available community
resources for obtaining screenings to families.
Centers – Changes to Four/Five-Star Ratings:
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development – SE 1 Clarified that the bachelor's degree can
be in any field with a CPL 5.
Centers and FCC - Changes to Four/Five-Star
Ratings:
- Learning and
Development/Child Screening and Assessment – CSA 5 Clarified language
for on-going child assessment results. Clarified that on-going informal
assessments only are required for school-age children.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Program Administration – PA 4 Added conducting a
meeting as additional option for programs to meet this standard.
- Administrative and
Leadership Practices/Staff Management – SM 4 Clarified that the JFS
01509 should be submitted.
FCC - Changes to All Star Ratings:
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Professional Development- PD 1 Clarified the
standard by separating it into two paragraphs and changed the language to
"The program owner achieves and maintains the Step Up To Quality
Professional Development Certificate each biennium." and; "All child
care staff achieve and maintain the Step Up to Quality Professional Development
Certificate each biennium."
FCC – Changes to One Star Rating:
FCC – Changes to One and Two-Star
Ratings:
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Staff Education – SE 1
Removed high school diploma or general
education development (GED) for
program owner as this is a requirement for
licensure.
FCC – Changes to Two- to Five-Star Ratings:
FCC - Changes to
Three- and Four/Five-Star Ratings:
- Staff Qualifications and
Professional Development/Staff Education – SE 1 The types of approved
degrees were consolidated for early childhood education and school-age teachers
and are now defined in to rule
5101:2-17-01.
Rule 5101:2-17-02 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): eligibility
for registration" outlines the eligibility requirements for SUTQ. This rule has been amended to make the
following changes:
- Added the program must ensure that staff roles,
schedules and hires dates are linked to the program and maintained in the OPR.
- Clarified language on serious risk
non-compliances.
- Removed day camps, in-home aides, and border
state child care providers as unable to register for SUTQ since they are not
licensed by ODJFS and registration is already limited to licensed programs.
- Removed the restriction prohibiting programs
from registering for SUTQ within the first six months of the provisional
period. This will allow programs to
register for SUTQ at any time once licensed.
- Added requirement that children be enrolled and
attending the program at time of the on-site verification visit.
- Removed the requirement that SUTQ standards
cannot be met by violating a licensing rule.
- Added documentation cannot be falsified to meet
the standards.
- Removed the requirement to wait six months
before beginning a registration if the rating was discontinued or not renewed.
Rule 5101:2-17-03 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): desk reviews,
onsite verification visits and star rating awards" outlines the process
for completing the desk reviews, onsite verification visits and the star rating
process. This rule has been amended to
make the following changes:
- Clarified language on rating effective dates,
including allowing a program to have a rating become effective during its
provisional period.
- Replaced "immediately" with
"expedited" for programs with multiple rated programs.
- Indicated that the rating will continue if the
provider changes location or changes provider type for family child care.
- Added a rating is immediately discontinued if
program fails to register by day two hundred seventy.
- Removed the requirement to wait six months
before beginning a registration if the rating was discontinued.
- Added a reference to the county agency since the
agencies will be responsible for one and two-star rated family child care
programs.
- Clarified language for marketing materials.
Rule 5101:2-17-04 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): changes,
renewals, removals or requests to withdraw a SUTQ rating" outlines the
process for changes, renewals, removals or requests to withdraw a SUTQ
rating. This rule has been amended to
make the following changes:
- Removed the requirement to wait six months
before beginning a registration if the rating was discontinued or withdrawn.
- Changed the accumulation of points from eighteen
to twenty-four.
- Added the look back period only includes points
accumulated in inspections completed after the reduction or removal.
- Added a reference to the county agency since the
agencies will be responsible for one and two-star rated family child care
programs.
Rule 5101:2-17-05 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): request for
review" outlines the requirements for programs to request a review for SUTQ
rating decisions. This rule has been amended to make the following changes:
- Clarified that a request can be made to review a
rating decision.
- Included that a program can request a review of
the rating decision as of the date of the letter indicating the removal or
reduction of the star rating and to clarify language.
Rule 5101:2-17-06 "Step Up To Quality (SUTQ): County Agency
Responsibilities" outlines the requirements of the county agency for
SUTQ. This rule has been amended to
update the county agency responsibilities.
If you have any questions, please contact the Child Care Policy
Help Desk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4.