As a child who grew up with WIC, welfare, and free school lunches, it is extremely important to me that we provide access to quality early childhood education to kids growing up in similar circumstances. For childcare, this type of program comes in the form of Title XX. It operates with the intent of getting children with economic challenges off to a good start in terms of the skills he or she will need as they grow and begin school.

Unfortunately, there are some misunderstandings associated with this program, with possibly the biggest being that parents must pay out of pocket if they want to upgrade to a highly rated facility. This is simply not the case. If a student is approved for Title XX, then the cost to attend a 5-Star facility is exactly the same as the cost to attend a 1 or 2-Star facility.

In the end, parents participating in the Title XX waivers program should seek out the best early childhood education program available in their area. The State of Ohio, via the Step Up to Quality Program provides an easy 1 through 5 Star rating system for parents to follow. So, parents should seek out the best education available to their child and should not settle for a 1 or 2 star rated facility when 4 and 5-star locations are available for the same exact price. Your child’s future is worth it.