OHS extends deadlines for child care programs seeking accreditation
Oklahoma Human Services and the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness collaborated to revise emergency rules, extend deadlines and support accreditation for child care centers across the state, according to a joint press release from the agencies.
Revised child care emergency rules, released by OHS in 2023, required 'all 5-star child care programs to obtain accreditation from a nationally recognized accrediting organization approved by Child Care Services at Oklahoma Human Services in order to maintain their current quality rating,' the release reads.
The updates made by OHS and OPSR are part of a plan to strengthen the infrastructure of early child care and to support providers to meet the elevated standards, the release said.
The changes include OHS reopening the submission portal and extending the deadline to June 20 for licensed providers who are submitting proof of application for accreditation or achieved accreditation.
Providers who can't meet the Sept. 1 deadline 'for full national accreditation may request an extension in writing,' the release said, and those extensions must be submitted no later than Sept. 12.
For providers showing 'substantial and verifiable progress toward accreditation,' an extension will be granted through Dec. 31. Providers who demonstrate they have 'completed all necessary steps toward accreditation' could receive an additional extension to Dec. 31, pending the accrediting body's final decision.
Federal funds of $500,000 from the Preschool Development Grant will also be used to help programs working toward accreditation. The funding will cover self-study kits and accreditation-related materials, and offer hands-on support through regional Child Care Resource and Referral offices.
'We're committed to ensuring Oklahoma children receive the highest quality care,' said Jaesha Quarrels, director of child care services for OHS. 'National accreditation is the gold standard, and these new supports and adjusted timelines will help providers meet that goal while keeping our child care system strong.'
Carrie Williams, executive director of OPSR, said the agency is proud to offer support to providers through the Preschool Development Grant.
'By partnering with Oklahoma Human Services and the Legislature, we've created new, realistic options for providers committed to reaching national accreditation,' Williams said.
The grant may help child care providers across the state, who lost federal pandemic funding for their programs in September 2024. But new emergency subsidized child care rules set in place by OHS last year have caused a mixed bag of problems.
'In 2022, only about 300 facilities in the state were able to reach the highest star level, which at the time required national accreditation. Smaller providers say accreditation is too costly and time-consuming, so many were stuck at the mid-tier reimbursement rates,' according to a March article by The Frontier.
The new five-star Quality Rating and Improvement System – previously a three-star rating system – helped give child care centers alternate pathways to achieve accreditation and program incentives.
'Within two years, about 1,000 child care facilities were newly rated at the highest level, according to agency data,' The Frontier reported.
But a jump in child care facilities drove up rates for families seeking subsidized child care, prompting OHS to roll out emergency rules to 'reduce the number of families eligible to receive the child care subsidy and make it easier to lower provider's star ratings, as well as bring back national accreditation requirements for the highest star levels,' The Frontier reported.
The new emergency subsidy rules drew criticism from the public and caused financial and staffing concerns for child care providers. In January, OHS revised the emergency rules again – ultimately not changing the subsidy eligibility rules, but once again requiring national accreditation, The Frontier reported.
The extended deadlines are meant to help providers maintain national accreditation while still following OHS' Child Care revised rules, which go into effect this year.
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