What Does The Ocrra’S Child Development Exception Entail?

The Ohio Professional Registry is an online tool for Ohio’s early childhood and afterschool professionals, which is subject to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. This law provides federal funding to states through the Child Care and Early Childhood Education (CPL) system. To receive the exemption, professionals must upload their official college transcript, including the child development course, into their Registry.

The current professional development biennium ends on June 30, 2021, and all administrators, lead teachers, assistant teachers, and family child care providers working in a SUTQ star-rated program must have completed 20 hours of Ohio Child Development Training. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services offers scholarships to degree-seeking child care professionals pursuing either an associate degree or bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education or creates an exemption for Family Child Care Home providers enrolling a low number of children receiving PFCC from being required to be rated under SUTQ.

The Ohio Professional Registry also provides scholarships and wage supplements for the early childhood workforce to access educational opportunities and help establish a well-qualified, fairly-educated workforce. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services approves many Better Kid Care online courses to meet professional development requirements.

In summary, all Ohio professionals must complete the Ohio’s Approach to Quality and Overview of Child Development courses, unless they meet certain exemption statuses. The Ohio Professional Registry provides a common system for documenting and quantifying professional growth and supports the early childhood workforce.