Ohio

WKRC Cincinnati

Child-care rating system goes statewide

LAST UPDATE: 11/20/2006 10:18:49 AMCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The state has a new rating system that should help parents make that important choice about child care.

The new Step Up to Quality program will award participating child-care centers one, two or three stars, based on factors including class sizes, staff training and the quality of the teaching.

To earn the top rating, centers must go beyond state licensing requirements. For example, Ohio child-care centers are expected to have one teacher for every eight three-year-olds, but at three-star facilities the ratio is one-to-six.

The grading program has already been in place in nine counties. It goes statewide on November 30th.

Comment: There is a star rating system here in EVV as well, and that is what we are trying to do. The finished program binder will be available for parents to view as soon as it's finished.