The Early Childhood Education Grant is an important investment in Ohio's youngest learners. The grant provides early learning programs with an opportunity to provide high quality, comprehensive learning environments and address outcomes and goals essential for healthy development and academic, social and emotional success.
Programs awarded the Early Childhood Education Grant must demonstrate they meet high-quality standards by achieving a 3-, 4-, or 5- star rating in Step Up To Quality (http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Step-Up-To-Quality-SUTQ), Ohio's tiered quality rating and improvement system.
In FY24, Early Childhood Education funded programs may serve children eligible for publicly funded child care (PFCC) to extend the day beyond the required 12.5 weekly requirement. Please note that no other public funding source is permitted to be used to fund the same hours for which the child is receiving Early Childhood Education funds. This includes PFCC and Head Start.