Groundwork Ohio Testifies in Support of WIN Child Care Pilot Program to Build a Stronger Child Care Workforce

By: Lynanne Gutierrez, President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio

Note: the following testimony about  House Bill 96 was written and delivered by Lynanne Gutierrez before the Ohio House of Representatives Children and Human Service Committee on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Chair White, Vice Chair Salvo, Ranking Member Lett and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Lynanne Gutierrez, and I am the President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio. We are the state’s leading nonpartisan research and advocacy organization focused on promoting early learning and healthy development strategies for children from the prenatal period to age five. 

I am here today in support of House Bill 484, to establish the Workforce Investment Now (WIN) for Child Care pilot program. This two-year pilot would provide “categorical eligibility” for publicly funded child care benefits (PFCC) to child care workers, creating a support structure for an industry whose workers struggle to afford their own child care costs.    

Child Care Affordability Crisis 

Child care costs are among the highest household expenses working families with young children face, with the average annual cost rivaling that of in-state college tuition. 

Ohio families are feeling the squeeze. As costs for food and housing rise, exorbitant child care costs force tough decisions between work and care. In a September 2025, we found that nearly 80% of Ohio voters across party lines say that the ability of working families to afford and access quality child care is either in a “state of crisis” or a “major problem. [1] Additionally, voters and parents alike understand that the child care crisis is inextricably linked to the workforce crisis with more than one third (34%) of Ohioans and 56% of Ohio parents saying they or someone they know would consider entering the workforce if quality child care were available. 

The Workforce Behind the Workforce 

Accessing and affording child care is a challenge that ripples throughout the industry itself, affecting child care programs and staff alike. Although child care workers are essential to supporting a strong economy, early educators earn wages on average of $15 per hour with a third of them reliant on Medicaid [2], and unable to afford the very care they provide. House Bill 484 represents an important step in recognizing these professionals as the backbone of Ohio’s early learning system. Further, it stabilizes programs who are hard-pressed to compete to attract and retain these professionals because the wages are so low and the work is so challenging. 

Limited access to affordable, high-quality child care negatively affects workforce participation, business operations, and the broader economy. In 2024, 58% of Ohio child care programs reported severe staffing shortages, citing challenges recruiting and retaining staff due to low wages and limited benefits packages. [3] These early educators offering safe, loving, and enriching care to children often face a benefits cliff—while some may be eligible for PFCC earning under 145% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or the Child Care Choice Voucher program earning 146%-200% FPL, there are those earning just above income limits, but far below what’s needed to pay for market-rate care for their own children.  

The WIN proposal would reduce the cost burden for child care workers who work at least 20 hours per week. This categorical eligibility would help stabilize a workforce on which families and employers rely. When child care staff can afford care for their own children, they’re more likely to stay in the field - reducing turnover, strengthening program quality, and ensuring more Ohio families have access to consistent, high-quality care.  

The program proposed through HB 484 is modeled after successful programs in other states. In Kentucky, a policy allowing child care staff to access PFCC began in 2022 and more than 2,900 educators and 5,200 children have benefitted from the program. [4] To date, categorical eligibility for child care workers or related policies have been implemented in eight states. [5]

Impact on Ohio’s Economy 

In Ohio, 46% of Ohio children under age 5 living in households earning less than 200% of the federal poverty level are not accessing care through publicly funded child care or Head Start.⁶ While this bill can contribute to increasing access, the proposal must be part of a larger strategy to sustain Ohio’s current child care system. As we look ahead to the next state budget cycle, Ohio’s child care system faces a $600 million funding gap of one-time Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars that must be replaced in order to maintain current service levels. Without sustainable revenue, there will be a dramatic cut to working families currently accessing child care. 

When families don’t have access to care, household budgets suffer, and the state economy is negatively impacted. According to recent data from the Ohio Chamber’s Untapped Potential report, Ohio faces a $5.48 billion loss to our state economy each year due to child care barriers, including a $1.2 billion hit to state revenue and $3.97 billion loss experienced by employers due to turnover and rehiring costs. [6]

HB 484 is an innovative pilot approach to support the workforce behind the workforce. When paired with systemwide public investment in the child care system, this program has the potential to retain experienced child care staff and support Ohio’s working families and broader economy. Groundwork Ohio encourages legislators to support the pilot project.   

Thank you for your time. I would be happy to answer any questions.  

[1] Ohio Voter Poll. September 2025. UpONE Insights. New Poll: Ohio's Child Care Crisis Threatens Workforce Growth

[2] National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2025, Child Care and Early Learning Help Our State Thrive NAEYC State Fact Sheet - Ohio.

[3] Vanover, Sarah, Smith, Lina, and Reef, Grace, 2024, Supporting Child Care Workers as Parents: How the Kentucky Subsidy Income Exclusion for Child Care Employees Helps Increase Access to Child Care.

[4] National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2025. Spotlight on State Actions & Investments in the Early Child Care Workforce.

[5] Groundwork Ohio Data Dashboard. 2025.

[6] US Chamber of Commerce, 2025. Untapped Potential Report: Ohio