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As part of our “Get to Know Groundwork” series, we've been spotlighting members of our amazing team. This week, we’re getting to know Susan Ackerman, who joined Groundwork Ohio in March of 2024. In the heart of Groundwork Ohio’s mission stands Susan Ackerman, a passionate and dedicated leader with an unwavering commitment to the well-being of mothers and their precious babies and young children. As the Managing Director of Policy at Groundwork Ohio, Susan brings a lifetime of policy and advocacy expertise to the forefront of our efforts. Susan is the driving force behind the development, leadership, and implementation of the organization’s visionary policy agenda. With a keen focus on critical maternal and infant healthcare initiatives and early learning programs, Susan shapes policies and systems that are not only impactful, but resonate deeply with the needs of Ohio’s infants, toddlers, young children, and their families. In addition to her role in policy development, Susan directs Groundwork Ohio’s statewide coalition efforts, orchestrating recruitment, outreach, engagement, and mobilization initiatives to hold decision-makers accountable to the best interests of Ohio’s youngest. Susan’s journey to Groundwork Ohio is marked by a rich tapestry of experiences, most recently serving as the Managing Director of the Ohio practice for Sellers Dorsey. Here, she collaborated with health systems nationwide, securing additional Medicaid funding to preserve access and enhance care for Medicaid patients—an accomplishment indicative of her commitment to equitable healthcare outcomes. Check out our Q&A with Susan to learn more about why she’s a passionate advocate for young children and families in Ohio. Q: What drew you to early childhood policy research and advocacy? Tell us more about your “why.” A:  I have always been interested in how things connect – in my professional life that means policy and funding. Health and human services policy is especially intricate and intertwined and particularly challenging for many people to navigate. Too often this complexity lets people down rather than helps to lift them up. As the mother of twins. I know that raising children is hard work. I have experienced many of the challenges that Groundwork works to improve - from pregnancy complications to premature birth to challenges finding quality child care – and yet I fully recognize that I had it much easier than most since I had a spouse, financial resources, and extended family support. I feel a strong responsibility to help children thrive. Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or a lesson that you’ve learned that has helped you in this work? A: I have been fortunate to have a lot of great bosses. Two pieces of advice that stick out are the need to leverage the power of the strong when you serve the poor and the weak and the power of diverse coalitions to make difficult and meaningful change. Q: What’s your word for 2024? A:  Optimism – We all have a vested interest in the health and well-being of children. If we all work together for children, we can improve our collective future. Q: When you aren’t advocating on behalf of young children and families, what do you enjoy doing? A:   With our children about to “leave the payroll,” as they start their post-college lives, my husband and I are reengaging with those activities we set aside when we became parents. Ironically, one of our favorite activities remains checking out our favorite animals at the zoo. I am a huge fan of hippos and capybaras. Q: Describe a scene from your vision of the future for Ohio’s youngest children and their caregivers. A: All Ohio parents are empowered and have the resources that they need to ensure their children thrive. Connect with Susan on Twitter, LinkedIn, or by email.

By: Kezia Ofosu Atta, Policy Assistant and Susan Ackerman, Managing Director, Policy, Groundwork Ohio Follow Kezia and Susan on LinkedIn Janis Fay, a mother of three children with developmental disabilities in Cincinnati, Ohio, vividly describes her ordeal with Ohio's Medicaid unwinding process: "It’s been terrible." In a poignant interview with the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs in February 2024, she recounted receiving a notification in July 2023 assuring continuous coverage for her children, only to discover later, through their orthodontist, that they were, in fact, uninsured. This abrupt loss of coverage has left her family grappling with the financial burden of managing their children’s complex medical needs, including a daughter diagnosed with autism and a son with scoliosis requiring a back brace they can no longer afford. Janis’s story is all too common; like many families in Ohio, she finds herself in a precarious position—earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but unable to afford adequate health insurance through their employer. After a three-year pause caused by the pandemic, Ohio resumed its Medicaid eligibility determination process in February 2023. Ohio will complete its redetermination process for all enrollees this month. Over the past twelve months, the number of children ages 0 to 6 enrolled in Medicaid has dropped by almost 50,000 children, or 11 percent. At the moment, all we know is that 50,000 young children are no longer enrolled in Medicaid. Some may have gained coverage through their parent’s employer or through the exchange, but many are likely still eligible for Medicaid but and are now uninsured. Unfortunately, this result is not unexpected.  Too often families experience gaps in Medicaid coverage, not because they no longer qualify for coverage, but because they fail to complete the renewal process. This phenomenon, known as program churn, can be particularly harmful to the health and development of young children, as uninsured children are more likely to miss preventive care and developmental screenings. Additionally, Medicaid is often the gateway for enrollment in other supportive services for children, such as WIC, Help Me Grow, and to enrollment in child care. (Children enrolled in child care must submit an annual medical statement from a primary care provider.) Ohio Medicaid Leveraged a Number of Strategies to Reduce Program Churn The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), which advises Congress on Medicaid policy, has assessed churn rates for various eligibility groups with Medicaid. Their study of nationwide data from 2018 found that 18 percent of children enrolled in MAGI3 categories were disenrolled during that year. However, they also found that many of the children who were disenrolled were reenrolled in the program within twelve months. (MAGI is an acronym for Modified Adjusted Gross Income. In layman’s terms this means children who qualify for Medicaid based on their family’s income. The data cited is for children under age 21.) The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has implemented a number of strategies including increased automation and business process improvements to eliminate the red tape to ensure that eligible enrollees maintain coverage. Many of these strategies that have helped enrollees retain coverage, such as the use of third-party data to inform eligibility and other automations will be ending, but others, such as text messages and robocall reminders to enrollees, will continue. Key Reminders about Medicaid Coverage for Children Children may still be eligible for Medicaid even if their parents are not. Visit Benefits.Ohio.gov or call the Ohio Medicaid hotline at 800-324-8680 for more information. Families may be eligible for subsidized coverage through a marketplace plan. Go to Healthcare.gov for more information. Continuous Medicaid Coverage for Young Children is Coming Any gaps in coverage can delay preventive care, which is particularly concerning for young children as this is a period of rapid development. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a schedule of at least twelve well-child visits at specified periods for children by age three. Recognizing the importance of coverage for children, the FY 24-25 budget included continuous coverage for children from birth to age three. While this extension has not yet been implemented, the Ohio Department of Medicaid is currently working on a federal Medicaid 1115 waiver to authorize this provision. Continuous coverage will ensure that children do not have a gap in coverage during a critical stage of their development.

By: Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio Follow Lynanne on Twitter and LinkedIn Groundwork Ohio is leading a powerful statewide early childhood movement, securing state policy and investments to meet the growing needs of young children and families. You play a crucial role in this movement, which transcends Ohio's policy landscape and political climate. Our collective effort champions policies with both a long-term strategy and immediate impact. Amidst the noise of constant information, voices, and real needs, we stay focused, strategic, and accountable to our data-driven policy framework, ensuring tangible progress toward our mission and vision. One of the tools we use to hold ourselves accountable to our mission and visions is our Policy Framework. This is a framework for what policies are within the scope of our mission, based on data and evidence. We advance policies that change the factors that result in outcomes that support young children in Ohio who are healthy and ready to learn. When it comes to how we determine policies to advance our mission, Groundwork deploys a robust and adaptable process to craft our policy agenda, uniquely unfolding every two years. This flexibility allows us to respond swiftly to challenges and seize opportunities. The foundation of our progress lies in trusted relationships, nurtured over the past 20 years, propelling remarkable growth and impact. As our advocacy tools and reach expand, our policy process evolves, engaging a broader array of voices through diverse tactics, channels, and platforms. This dynamic approach demands evaluating a wide spectrum of interests and weighing them against opportunities. What does our policy agenda process look like in 2024? Our work timeline aligns with the Ohio General Assembly’s schedule, particularly the state budget process—a pivotal policy and investment opportunity. This year centers on establishing a strong foundation for a successful FY26-27 budget strategy. Leveraging insights from past budget outcomes, challenges, and future opportunities, we draw on our extensive experience to kickstart this process. We're eager to keep you updated on your role in our Policy Agenda process. Currently, our focus is on gathering input from key stakeholders and advocates to assess Ohio's early childhood landscape. Over the next few months, our strategy involves deep community engagement, aiming to connect with as many individuals as possible. This initiative is crucial to inform and energize the movement, especially leading up to the state budget process. The top of our policy process funnel serves as the broadest entry point for your input, providing an open door for your expertise to shape the process and ensure your voice is heard. Get out the map!  How will you ensure your voice shapes our policy agenda? 1. Tune in for Governor DeWine's State of the State address on April 10, 2024, at 12:00 pm. Join us in understanding our state leader's vision and progress assessment, with a keen focus on how it addresses the needs of young children and families. 2. Join us at a Roadshow Listening Tour event in your community between April and June 2024. We're heading your way to hear from you, hosting events with partners across Ohio's urban and rural communities. We're reaching out to diverse audiences, including families, community leaders, early childhood professionals, business leaders, and local and state policymakers. In each community, we'll explore the most significant opportunities and challenges faced by young children and families. Join us at one of 12 events as we aim to engage with over 1,000 individuals. We can't wait to see you there! How will you ensure your voice shapes our policy agenda? 3. Share your experience, work, stories, and data with our team to collaborate on supporting young children and families. Connect with Brittany Boulton, Managing Director of Advocacy & Engagement, or Susan Ackerman, Managing Director of Policy. They'll get you plugged in! 4. Power the movement with your support. Your generous gift ensures the ongoing resources needed to drive our policy agenda process and make a lasting impact. Join us in driving change!

By Brittany Boulton, Managing Director of Advocacy and Engagement, Groundwork Ohio Follow Brittany on Twitter and LinkedIn Child care and early learning programs in Ohio exist in a complicated system that is under-resourced and in which physical facilities have historically been overlooked. As these programs, particularly those that serve children who benefit from publicly funded child care in Ohio, navigate a very narrow profit margin, any facility issue or safety regulation that arises can pose a significant threat to their ability to continue operating and providing quality care to the public. The impact of facility costs is inextricably linked to every other facet of the child care business. Across the state, there are significant facility issues that, at best, undermine the learning of Ohio’s youngest children and, too often, at worst, pose threats to their health or prevent them from being able to access early learning spaces including child care and preschool programs in center-based and home-based facilities. While Groundwork Ohio has been supportive of limited investments that have targeted lead remediation (see Building the Way to a Healthier Future, 2020), we have been advocating for long overdue broader public investment in child care facilities since pandemic-era relief funding began appearing in Ohio in 2020. The Ohio legislature currently has the opportunity to utilize once-in-a-generation funds through the One Time Community Strategic Investment Fund (OTSCIF), a pool of pandemic relief funds that was established during the Ohio legislature’s most recent operating budget process (House Bill 33, 135th General Assembly, FY24-25), to support critical updates to child care facilities that would keep them safe, warm, and dry. Groundwork Ohio is advocating that the Ohio legislature dedicate at least $5 million of this rare funding opportunity to support overdue improvements to community- and home-based facilities. Funds could be deployed to make such basic improvements as roof repair, ventilation upgrades, making electrical wiring safer, and aging window replacements. Such investments would help providers save on utility bills and invest in programming. Funds could support expanded lead remediation efforts, in addition to removing mold and other contaminants from care spaces. Licensed home-based facilities and child care centers alike could make their programming compliant to American Disabilities Act requirements, increase security, optimize sites to include play spaces, appropriate bathrooms, and adequate kitchen spaces necessary for serving young children. The OTSCIF provides a unique opportunity for Ohio’s legislature to spend public dollars in a way that will ensure the health and safety of our state’s youngest residents. We urge our legislative champions to prioritize the infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and educators who could benefit from a modest investment in ensuring the facilities in which they spend their time are safe, warm, and dry.

By Christopher Collen, SproutFive; Jaclyn Dynia, SproutFive's Center for Early Childhood Innovation; and Randi Bates, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati Early childhood represents a critical period for development and growth, which can significantly impact children’s lives. Early childhood educators are central in supporting the development of many young children. However, the health and well-being of educators is often neglected, and they likely experience high levels of stress. Further, meeting the needs of children is becoming increasingly challenging, and high-quality early childhood education relies on educators being able to manage their stress and engage positively with their young students. Why are Early Childhood Educators Vulnerable to Stress? Low wages are among the most salient stressors influencing early educators’ high stress. The early childhood workforce is among the least compensated professions in the United States. Even with extensive education and experience, educators’ hourly wages are persistently inadequate. Hence, educators often do not earn enough to pay for basic necessities such as housing payments, food, and health care. Staff shortages, high turnover rates, budget constraints, lack of resources, and feelings of under-appreciation further compound educators’ stress. Educators may also be more vulnerable to these stressors if they experience adverse childhood experiences such as abuse or neglect. Adverse childhood experiences are associated with an increased risk for the top two leading causes of death in the United States – heart disease and cancer. New Research on Early Childhood Educators’ Stressors and Stress A recent study led by Randi Bates, an assistant professor in nursing at the University of Cincinnati, and Jaclyn Dynia, Executive Director of SproutFive’s Center for Early Childhood Innovation, examined the stress and stressors of 67 center-based early childhood educators in Fall 2021. Educators completed surveys about their stress, economic hardship, food insecurity, and adverse childhood experiences. Questions on economic hardship included whether the educator could afford housing payments. Educators also provided hair samples to measure the stress hormone cortisol. Research Findings Compared to previously published work, the research team found that early childhood educators were highly stressed and had high levels of economic hardship, food insecurity, and adverse childhood experiences. Regarding stress: About 41% of the educators met the criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. These anxiety levels in the study were more than double the pre-pandemic estimates of adults in the United States. Over 63% of the educators met the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, nearly double the rate for adults across the United States. Around 41% of educators likely experienced both Generalized Anxiety and Major Depressive disorder. Education may have served as a protective factor against educators’ stress. Educators who held a bachelor’s degree or higher experienced significantly lower levels of stress than colleagues with lower education. Regarding life stressors: About 23% of educators experienced economic hardship or food insecurity in the past three months. This rate is more than double the national rate of 10.2%. About 34% experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences. It Takes a Village Many simple actions can support early childhood educators and help improve the early childhood education industry, which directly impacts society’s most precious asset - children. These actions include, but are not limited to: Improve access to affordable and confidential mental health services for early childhood educators. These services may include counseling, psychotherapy, medication management, stress management programs, and peer support initiatives. Strengthen efforts to break the stigma surrounding mental health. This will help normalize seeking mental health services and promote community support to facilitate healing. Build community support for early childhood educators and their substantial impact on children's well-being by increasing community awareness. Nurture early childhood educators’ well-being by facilitating professional development and higher education opportunities. Lower educators’ stress by helping improve working conditions through reducing class sizes, retaining adequate staffing, increasing compensation, and offering flexible schedules to attend to health needs. Promote school cultures of motivation, encouragement, positivity, and appreciation. In sum, early childhood educators are likely facing significant financial, mental health, and living challenges. The high rates of mental health struggles among early childhood educators should not be accepted as a norm. These stress-related difficulties can also have a negative impact on the well-being of young children aged from birth to five years old. Early childhood educators play a crucial role in shaping children's futures, and they deserve proper support and investment.

By Troy Hunter, Director of Research, Evaluation, and Performance, Groundwork Ohio Follow Troy on Twitter and LinkedIn The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) recently announced a new rule that will enhance child care access, affordability, and stability within the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The CCDF is a federal program authorized by the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) that provides child care subsidies to eligible low-income families. CCDF improves access to care and promotes high-quality early learning experiences for all children. The new rule lays out new requirements and recommendations for states utilizing CCDF funds. Ohio will need to meet the following requirements: increase affordability to families by capping copayments and recommended to waive copayments for specific groups, support providers by aligning payment procedures with the private pay market, and support families by reducing disruptions and an administrative burden by using family participation in other public benefit programs for eligibility. Additionally, the new rule lays out specific exemptions and flexibility for Tribal Lead agencies. Groundwork Ohio provided public comment during the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and many of the rule changes align with the final report produced by Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care and Step Up to Quality Study Committee. The rule is effective on April 30, 2024. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth is required to comply through ACF review and approval of CCDF Plans. Temporary transitional waivers of up to two years are allowed for states needing time to comply. Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care In 2022, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS), estimated that more than 115,000 children receive publicly funded child care. The utilization of early learning programs among Ohio's youngest children is limited. Just 12% of eligible children aged 0-2 have access to Early Head Start and a mere 4.3% of children in the same age group from low- and moderate-income backgrounds receive child care subsidies. With over half of children from families with low incomes not having access to early learning opportunities, there is a substantive need to address systemic issues that are creating barriers in accessing care. Under the new rule, Ohio will be required to… Cap family co-payments at 7% of household income. Post sliding fee scale information online. Implement payment practices consistent with the private-pay market. Enhance child care supply and quality for children in underserved areas children with disabilities, and infants and toddlers. Minimize disruptions to families through streamlined eligibility policies. Ohio’s Families are Paying the Price for the Under-invested Child Care System Currently in Ohio, copayments for families whose household income is between 105% to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) do not exceed 7% of their monthly income. However, the percentage of income of the copay starts to rise at 205% above the FPL and continues to climb to 300%, the maximum amount for continuing eligibility for publicly funded child care. A single mother of two children would pay 24% of their monthly income if their household income is 295% above the FPL. In addition to capping copayments, Ohio can help support child care for families by waiving copayments altogether for specific groups. The new rule recommends eliminating copayments for families below 150% of the federal poverty level, families experiencing homelessness, families with children with disabilities, those in foster care, and children enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start. With an eliminated copayment a single mother of two children could pay for a yearly supply of diapers for both her children. Easing the Burden on Families Trying to secure child care can be challenging enough, let alone navigating complex systems to get assistance. The new rule recommends states adopt policies that minimize disruptions to parent employment, education, or training opportunities. By streamlining enrollment processes and implementing presumptive eligibility, the rule makes it easier for families to access child care assistance promptly. This flexibility reduces barriers, allowing families to make timely decisions about child care options that align with their needs. Providers Are Subsidizing a Broken System There is a strong need in Ohio to address the problems in the early childhood education workforce and child care providers play an important role in accessing high-quality early learning experiences for children. Over half of early childhood educators in Ohio surveyed reported that their program was experiencing staffing shortages and that their program was underenrolled due to capacity within the last six months. Ohio’s early childhood educators make on average $14.22 per hour and one out of every six left their job in 2023.The new rule supports providers by requiring timely payments based on child enrollment. This aligns payment practices with those in the private market, creating a more stable environment for child care providers. Making Child Care More Accessible in Ohio The new rule for CCDF also promotes a more accessible, affordable, and stable child care system. By addressing programmatic and systemic challenges, the rule will: Reduce costs for families Improve payment practices Expand choices Cut red tape Ohio has yet to respond on what recommendations from the new rule it plans to implement or how it will meet the new required changes. However, Governor Mike DeWine has been clear that child care is a priority issue for Ohio. “Many Ohio parents must choose between taking on full-time, full-year work or staying unemployed or underemployed, because they cannot afford the high cost of childcare.” —Governor Mike DeWine The new rule opens the door to a better, more supportive, and stable system in Ohio. The state needs to continue to build a child care subsidy program that meets the needs of families and contributes to an effective child care system where parents can work and children can learn.

Columbus, OH -- Groundwork Ohio, the state’s leading policy and advocacy organization uniquely focused on the needs of young children during the prenatal period to age five, is thrilled to announce that Susan Ackerman has joined its team as Managing Director of Policy and Brittany Boulton has joined as Managing Director of Advocacy and Engagement. Susan Ackerman is renowned as a foremost authority in Ohio’s Medicaid program with extensive maternal and young child health policy expertise. With a career of almost twenty years in health policy, Susan’s invaluable experience in and around state government garners unwavering trust and admiration from policymakers at all levels. Her thoughtfulness, deep knowledge, and unique insights make her the ideal leader of Groundwork’s policy shop, ensuring its effectiveness and impact. “Susan has been a long-time friend and advisor beginning with our significant work together on the Ohio Infant Mortality Commission,” said Shannon Jones, CEO of Groundwork Ohio. “Her experience and passion for young children are unmatched and I know her proven leadership in health policy and health systems will help us to fulfill our vision that Ohio is the best place to be a young child.” Brittany Boulton has devoted her career to advocating for policies that improve the lives of families and brings this passion to Groundwork Ohio. She is known on Cap Square for building authentic relationships and powerful coalitions in pursuit of meaningful policy change. A skilled collaborator, active listener, and bold advocate, Brittany manages Groundwork’s extensive network of early care and education stakeholders and coordinates all lobbying and advocacy activities. “Brittany has an incredible reputation as a legislative bridge builder, problem solver, and thought partner,” said Shannon. “She is dynamic and resolute and will no doubt make a huge impact to improve the lives of Ohio’s youngest children.” More information about the team is available here. # # #

As part of our “Get to Know Groundwork” series, we've been spotlighting members of our amazing team. This week, we’re getting to know Ta'Sha Charles-Camara, who joined Groundwork Ohio in March of 2024. As the Community Engagement Manager for Groundwork Ohio, Ta’Sha L. Charles-Camara, MSW, supports the implementation and execution of family engagement activities. Ta’Sha elevates the voices of families with young children in early childhood policy and advocacy to achieve programmatic, policy, and practice changes at local, regional, and state levels. Ta'Sha has been leading with empathy and empowering underserved communities for over eight years and continues to make a meaningful impact through her non-profit organization Touching Lives "in the" Community Inc., which she founded on the ideas of equity, service, and inclusion with intentions to uplift underserved communities of color. Ta’Sha is currently working on her Doctoral degree in social work through the University of Kentucky where her main focus is administrative leadership. She has a bachelor's in social work and political science, and a minor certificate in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies from Ohio Dominican University. An alumna of The Ohio State University, Ta’Sha earned a master's in social work with an area of emphasis in social and community justice in May of 2022. Ta'Sha's vision for a more just and equitable society keeps her motivated. She believes that together, through empathy and education, we can achieve empowerment for all. Ta’Sha currently sits on the Young Professionals Board for St. Stephen’s Community House, where she spearheads volunteer initiatives. Along with board roles, Ta’Sha works closely with youth organizations throughout Columbus to promote community engagement and education. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., an organization founded to uplift the Black community and promote social advocacy. Ta'Sha is native to Columbus, Ohio, and has focused a large portion of her professional career in the area. Check out our Q&A with Ta'Sha to learn more about why she’s a passionate advocate for young children and families in Ohio. Q: What drew you to early childhood policy research and advocacy? Tell us more about your “why.” A:  What drew me to early childhood policy research and advocacy is my love for systems and how they impact marginalized groups of people. My background is in social work, and I have always been interested in macro-level practices. Additionally, I believe children are the future and the foundation for a greater future starts in early childhood research and advocacy. Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or a lesson that you’ve learned that has helped you in this work? A: The best piece of advice I have received is from a mentor of mine. She compared the work we do to fishing; when you go fishing you may catch one fish, or you may catch a lot, but at the end of the day you caught something and that’s what matters most. I think this sentiment can be applied to all aspects of life because it's not about the number but about the impact. Q: What’s your word for 2024? A:  VICTOR Q: When you aren’t advocating on behalf of young children and families, what do you enjoy doing? A:   I enjoy spending time with my husband and our dog, Three. We are a sports family, so I tend to support my husband at his coaching events and give back to our local community. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family exploring and learning new things! Q: Describe a scene from your vision of the future for Ohio’s youngest children and their caregivers. A: Equity and access for all children and families regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status! Inclusion for the voices who have been pushed to the back for far too long and adequate accessibility to educational resources for caregivers. Connect with Ta'Sha on LinkedIn or by email.

By Caitlin Feasby, Statewide Coordinator, Ohio Infant-Toddler Court Team Follow Caitlin on LinkedIn Ohio’s Safe Babies Court Team recently entered its second year under the federal HRSA grant. Ohio currently has three active Safe Babies sites in three geographically diverse counties in the state: Cuyahoga (urban), Lucas (suburban), and Scioto (rural), with room to grow into more counties in the coming years. The state of Ohio team, including the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, Children’s Defense Fund of Ohio, Case Western Reserve University, and Groundwork Ohio organized the first-ever Safe Babies Data Retreat dedicated solely to data, covering topics such as: looking back and looking ahead at Ohio’s data, state and national evaluation practices, and continuous quality improvement (CQI). This retreat was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the state of Ohio team in addition to our national and federal partners, ZERO TO THREE and HRSA, respectively. Together, all levels of the Safe Babies teams engaged in discussion from granular to big-picture goals. Each Safe Babies site is working diligently to influence a trauma-informed approach to child welfare practices for children ages 0-3 and their families. Some measures of success (such as number of foster care placements, length of time the case is open, etc.) may be easy to communicate with a number. Other important components of system change, such as relationship building, community and statewide buy-in, and practice changes can be more challenging to capture with numbers, yet these are essential building blocks for sustainability of each program. The Data Retreat offered a forum that allowed each team member to be heard, discuss challenges and triumphs, and help identify goals for the statewide program's future. One important pathway to enhancing data collection is to be clear about the story that needs to be told. By asking ourselves what is success and what is the story we want to tell about the work, we are better positioned to identify the way(s) we can measure that success. While measuring success may be an ever-evolving concept, the Ohio team took time to identify priorities and a vision for the future of the Safe Babies approach in our state, including (among others): We create a system that prioritizes positive change for system-involved 0-3 year-olds. Individuals are treated as humans, not as case numbers. We break cycles that trap families in unproductive and unhelpful systems. Our system moves from a compliance-driven focus to one that emphasizes behavioral and practice changes. To transform individual experiences, we bring people together through strong, supportive networks that place value on lived experience. Click here for more information about ZERO TO THREE’s Safe Babies approach. Click here for more information about Ohio’s Safe Babies program. Click here to receive updates from Groundwork Ohio and stay up-to-date with our wide portfolio of advocacy priorities!

By Troy Hunter, Director of Research, Evaluation, and Performance, Groundwork Ohio Follow Troy on Twitter and LinkedIn Every school year more than 100,000 of Ohio's young learners embark on their educational journey by entering kindergarten. Not all children, however, have the same access to high-quality early learning experiences and that is apparent early on their education. All incoming kindergarteners are administered the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Revised (KRA-R), a tool designed to gauge a child's preparedness for the educational experiences that lie ahead. The KRA-R focuses on four fundamental areas that lay the foundation for a child's early learning: Language and Literacy: Evaluating early language development and literacy skills. Mathematics: Assessing foundational numeracy skills. Social Foundations: Emphasizing social and emotional development and approaches toward learning. Physical Well-being and Motor Development: Ensuring a child's physical skills are on track. The startling truth is that nearly two out of every three kindergartners are not showing up demonstrating kindergarten readiness. The shortened version of the KRA was implemented in fall 2020, aligning with Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards. It is administered to kindergarteners between July and the 20th day of instruction and is an evaluation involving teacher observations and age-appropriate tasks that children respond to, capturing a snapshot of their school readiness. Research consistently highlights the role of early school readiness as a predictor of future academic success. Children demonstrating age-appropriate skills at the start of kindergarten are more likely to thrive academically throughout their educational trajectory. Children administered the KRA can score emerging, approaching, or demonstrating readiness. They also are categorized as on-track or not on-track for language and literacy. The number of children not on-track for language and literacy has increased 18.3% from 2014 to 2022. Over half of kindergarteners are not on-track for Language and Literacy. Disparities in Readiness There are disparities in kindergarten readiness among children, as the 2022-2023 KRA data show a staggering 64.6 percent of all kindergarteners in Ohio were not ready for kindergarten. The data exposed an even wider gap with 79 percent of low-income and 85.6 percent of children with disabilities not demonstrating kindergarten readiness. Inequities in education start before students show up to school, with 80.2 percent of all Black kindergarteners and 83.4 percent of Black boys not ready for kindergarten. Following Black students through school, Ohio educators are two times as likely to identify Black students as having an intellectual disability, place Black students with disabilities in more restrictive settings, and remove Black students with disabilities from the classroom for disciplinary reasons. These trends continue throughout the education experience as 1 out of 4 Black children didn’t graduate high school in 2021. Trending through Time: Disparities Stay Consistent The KRA is the only test administered to all children entering kindergarten and serves as Ohio’s metric to show readiness among kindergarteners. While we can see that less than half of kindergarteners are not demonstrating readiness on the KRA, even less of Ohio’s Black, Hispanic, low-income, and children with disabilities are ready for kindergarten. That trend has stayed consistent over time. We have seen a decrease in all children ready for kindergarten since 2020 and stark gaps remain consistent. In 2023, 42.2 percent of white children were ready for kindergarten, more than double that of Black and Hispanic children. We see the same pattern of twice as many children without disabilities being ready for kindergarten compared to those with, and over double the number of children not considered low-income being ready compared to children living in low-income households. The data is stunning and persistent; we see clear and stark disparities for Ohio’s kindergartners. Looking at the trend from 2014 to 2022, the number of children ready for kindergarten are similar for Black, Hispanic, and low-income children. What can we conclude from that? Systemically, Ohio’s children of color, children living in low-income households, and children with disabilities are experiencing barriers that impact their school readiness distinct from their white, higher-income, typically developing peers. Access to high-quality early learning experiences, health care, and other basic needs vary dramatically across these demographics, and we see many of these disparities persistent through other areas such as mental health, health care, and economic stability. As performance on the KRA has worsened, so too has children’s academic performance and success throughout school. Policymakers must invest in the first five years of every child’s life so every Ohio family can send their child to school ready to learn and thrive. Children Who Start Behind Stay Behind The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce followed a cohort of kindergartners from 2014 and found that children who were demonstrating readiness for Kindergarten are more likely to score proficient or higher in both mathematics and English language arts. Predicting Mathematics Readiness: 90.5 percent of children who were demonstrating kindergarten readiness in 2014 scored proficient or higher on Ohio’s state test in mathematics in 2017 during grade 3. Only 69.2 percent of students approaching readiness, and an alarming 40.4 percent of children showing emerging readiness, scored proficient or higher on the grade 3 Ohio State Test in mathematics in 2017. Predicting English Language Arts Readiness: 99.1 percent of children who were demonstrating kindergarten readiness in 2014 met the grade 3 reading guarantee. 21.1 percent or more than one in five students who were not showing kindergarten readiness in 2014 did not meet the grade 3 reading guarantee. Invest Now or Pay Later Over half of children from families with low incomes don’t have access to early learning opportunities. The number of children who are showing up ready for school is continuing to decline and Ohio’s kindergarteners can’t afford to wait. If we fail to invest in early learning now, our children will pay the price later. Ohio Can Invest in Children by: Ensuring that all children, regardless of race and socio-economic backgrounds, have access to quality early childhood education. Implementing targeted support programs for communities facing the highest disparities in kindergarten readiness. Developing initiatives that empower parents to engage actively in their child's early education journey. What You Can Do Learn More about Kindergarten readiness and other areas we see disparities in our early childhood systems by visiting our Early Childhood Dashboard. Act now and subscribe to our Early Learning Newsletter to stay up to date with the latest updates and how you can get involved. Give to support Groundwork’s mission to address the disparities in kindergarten readiness through our advocacy network!

As part of our “Get to Know Groundwork” series, we've been spotlighting members of our amazing team. This week, we’re getting to know Nathaniel Grossman, who joined Groundwork Ohio in January of 2024. Nathaniel is the Director of Communications at Groundwork Ohio. He has dedicated his career to expanding access to high-quality early childhood education and care for all children. Nathaniel’s journey in education advocacy began with a role as a kindergarten teacher in DC Public Schools (DCPS). There his passion for instruction led to him being the first DCPS teacher to participate in Great Minds’ Eureka Math Fellowship. He also served as a teacher-coach and an educational consultant, collaborating with clients such as the Smithsonian Science Education Center. Witnessing the challenges that families faced in the public school system inspired an interest in education policy. Transitioning from the classroom, Nathaniel became an Editorial Associate at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a DC-based think tank with a focus on K–12 issues. He wrote regularly for the organization’s Flypaper blog and produced the weekly Education Gadfly Show podcast. As the Deputy Director of Communications at the Center for Education Reform and the Yass Prize, Nathaniel developed the organization’s social media strategy for an audience of more than 50,000 followers. He also developed digital content for the website and oversaw email marketing. A native Ohioan, Nathaniel received his undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford. He holds an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Leadership from American University in Washington, DC. He lives in Columbus with his wife and young son. Check out our Q&A with Nathaniel to learn more about why he’s a passionate advocate for young children and families in Ohio. Q: What drew you to early childhood policy research and advocacy? Tell us more about your “why.” A:  I spent more than a decade as a kindergarten teacher and saw firsthand how quality early child education programs like Head Start set kids up for success. Sadly, not all children have access to these programs. Just finding quality child care is difficult for working parents. This puts enormous strain on families and creates disparate impacts for children from under-resourced communities. If we want public education to remain the great equalizer in American society, we should work to expand access to early childhood programs. Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or a lesson that you’ve learned that has helped you in this work? A: It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. There are no quick solutions to the issues impeding access to early childhood education and care. It will take a prolonged effort from parents, elected officials, and advocacy groups to expand that access to all children. Along the way, there are bound to be setbacks and defeats. But we need to keep moving forward. Q: What’s your word for 2024? A:  Collaboration. Never be afraid to reach across the aisle. We need to overcome the partisanship in our politics and get things done. Supporting Ohio’s youngest children should be a goal everyone can work towards, regardless of background or party affiliation. And if we’re willing to collaborate on behalf of kids, it demonstrates that there’s more to unite us than to divide us. Q: When you aren’t advocating on behalf of young children and families, what do you enjoy doing? A:  I’m a dedicated reader, both for myself and with my son. One of our favorite outings is to the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, where there’s always a fun exhibit for kids. I also enjoy running on central Ohio’s beautiful trails, especially the Olentangy and Alum Creek Trails. All that running makes me hungry, so I love exploring Columbus’s restaurant scene with my wife. Our current favorite spot is Agni in German Village. Q: Describe a scene from your vision of the future for Ohio’s youngest children and their caregivers. A: I envision a future in which Ohio’s early childhood programs are so good it motivates families to move to the Buckeye State from around the country. Ohio becomes the destination for parents with young children. As our population surges, our economy expands like never before. All that extra brainpower helps turn Ohio into the Silicon Valley of the Midwest. Connect with Nathaniel on LinkedIn or by email.

By Kari Jones, President & CEO, ElevateDD “My child is not potty trained and child cares either don’t take kids until they are potty trained, or they don’t take kids her age that aren’t potty trained.” When you are a caregiver of a child with extra needs, hitting developmental milestones – however delayed they may occur – is a huge win. As caregivers, we’re in a unique circle of understanding in which we recognize the hours and hours of therapeutic interventions, the exhaustion, the anxiety, and the heartache, which make the sweet successes all the sweeter. We celebrate with one another, in recognition that a “developmental victory” can often mean more independence is earned and more inclusion in community resources can be gained. When it comes to inclusion in child care, however, getting access is challenging in and of itself. Through a recent survey including nearly 800 families throughout Ohio whose children have developmental disabilities, 60 percent of families indicated being turned away from child care programs for commonly cited reasons such as the program’s inability to meet diapering or toileting needs, medical needs, physical accommodations, or behavior supports. Put another way, less than half of these families have access to child care – even when space is available. Families feel like they’re beating the odds simply in finding a program that doesn’t immediately turn their child away. In an already strained industry, it’s not surprising that child care programs don’t feel equipped to address a variety of needs often necessary to serve children who need more supports. Yet, families whose children have developmental disabilities are left with limited options that leave them trapped in unimaginable scenarios: forcing them into one-income households that leave them financially strained, balancing work and child care resulting in interrupted careers, increasingly depending on family members that burden relationships, and lacking child care options that negatively impact the child’s learning and development opportunities. Over 50 percent of families surveyed stated that their ability to work is either significantly or very significantly impacted due to the lack of access to child care. And even if a family does find a place that will accept their child, 70 percent of families indicated they had to leave a child care provider and find a new one due to unmet needs. To be clear, the barometer for success with inclusive child care shouldn’t merely be not turning away a child with extra needs. That’s why it’s so exciting to see the work that’s being done in our state to begin to tackle this long-standing issue. In late 2023, Governor DeWine, alongside the Department of Children & Youth Director Kara Wente, launched Ohio PROMISE to offer training and educational resources for child care programs and their employees. This training aligns with one of the recommendations we provided the state based on the voices of Ohio families whose child care needs are currently unmet. We’re thrilled to see that nearly 1,000 child care programs throughout Ohio have opted into these training opportunities! In addition to training within child care programs, we feel strongly that financial assistance is a significant need for Ohio families. Ohio PROMISE has answered this in its creation of the Inclusion Scholarship for families. This scholarship can subsidize some of the financial burden associated with accessing high-quality child care and is a great resource for qualifying Ohio families. Elevating the needs through the voices of families to state leaders is meaningful and powerful. We’re proud to live in a state with leaders who listen, care, and – most importantly –act on the feedback they’re receiving. The barriers families face in navigating child care is complex and the solution is equally complex. There are so many unmet needs for families whose children have extra needs that one small essay or blog post can simply not suffice! Aging out of child care programs, inability to find summer resources for teens with disabilities who cannot be left alone, and a lack of support in navigating a child care program that can accommodate your child’s unique needs are just a few of the barriers. No family should ever feel like they’ve won the lottery just because they’ve found a place that will accept their child. Finding a place that is accepting, inclusive, and working towards enrichment should be the norm. If you want to learn more about the needs, survey results, and recommendations, you can read our full report.