13-05-2025
New accreditation deadlines and funding announced for OK child care providers
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Some much-needed help has been announced for Oklahoma child care providers trying to meet a big deadline.
Earlier this year, Governor Kevin Stitt signed new regulations on Oklahoma's five-star rating system. The more stars a center has, the more state funding it receives.
Under the new rules, centers have to be nationally accredited to maintain a five-star rating. The original deadline was September 1, leaving many concerned.
'The timeline was tough, reaching national accreditation within six months is unattainable for most programs,' said Carrie Williams, executive director of the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness.
On Monday, Oklahoma Human Services, in partnership with the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR), announced some changes.
In response to stakeholder feedback, Oklahoma Human Services will reopen the submission portal and extend the deadline for licensed providers to submit proof of either application for accreditation or achieved accreditation. The new deadline is June 20, extending beyond the original deadline of April 10.
For providers who can't meet the September 1 deadline for full national accreditation may also now request an extension in writing. Requests must be submitted to Oklahoma Human Services by September 12, 2025.
Those who demonstrate substantial and verifiable progress toward accreditation will be granted an extension through December 31.
Some providers also expressed concern about the expenses of becoming nationally accredited.
Childcare centers begin to close as state changes funding formula
'Accreditation is an expensive process, it can cost up to $5,000, sometimes even more for child care programs, depending on the size,' said Williams.
OPSR announced that $500,000 of federal Preschool Development Grant funds will be used to assist programs working toward accreditation.
'We believe at OPSR that national accreditation is the gold star, it's the gold standard for quality, and we want as many providers to achieve that as possible,' said Williams.
Funding will help cover self-study kits and accreditation-related materials. It will also provide access to hands-on support through regional Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) offices.
'It really will be based on what childcare providers actually need individually. It's not a one size fits all approach and we want to meet childcare providers where they are,' said Williams.
Some providers asked why these funds weren't available sooner.
'OPSR'S grant required federal approval, so we really quite literally could not have released the funds earlier than we have today,' said Williams.
While providers are thankful for the extra funding and the deadline extension, some say it's not enough.
'It's too late for a lot of people and this is just one piece of the turmoil that's happening,' said Janell Wheat, board member for the Licensed Childcare Association of Oklahoma.
Wheat says some businesses have already closed their doors.
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'I know that since September of last year, we've had about 4,500 slots be reduced because of closures across the state. That means 4,500 kids don't have access to childcare in their communities,' said Wheat.
Oklahoma is already considered a child care desert and believes this isn't helping.
'I was contacted by a foster care agency because they are having foster care parents decline to take kids simply because they don't have child care resources in their area, so it's not just what we think of the classic person going to work,' said Wheat.
OPSR says Oklahoma still has a long way to go but this is a step in the right direction.
'There are tangible supports that we're working on even right now with the legislature talking about making childcare free for anyone who's willing to work in a childcare program. That's a huge priority of ours at OPSR because we know that these programs can't stay open or they can't operate at full capacity if they don't have enough teachers in their classrooms,' said Williams.
We reached out to Oklahoma Human Services, but they were unavailable for comment.
Those interested in applying for OPSR's accreditation support can click here.
For more information about the updated emergency rules, click here.
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