Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant

Ohio Update on the Early Learning Challenge Grant

In August the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education released the application and guidance for Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grants.  Ohio has the opportunity to access $70 million over the next four years to advance high quality and comprehensive early childhood systems and services. This is a unique opportunity for states to strategically leverage this federal investment into practices and policies that can narrow the achievement gap for all children, but particularly those considered “high need” and participating in state or federally funded programs (including but not limited to preschools in district operated programs, for profit and non-profit center based child care, family child care programs, early intervention, home visiting, head start/early head start, etc). The executive summary and full application can be found at the U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html.

Since the release of the final guidance the Governor’s Office, in partnership with state agencies and the Ohio Business Roundtable, has been leading the effort to develop the vision and priorities for the grant.  The Ohio Department of Education will serve as the lead agency for the application.  We expect that whether Ohio’s grant application is funded or not, this planning process will clearly define the outcomes and strategies that the Kasich Administration intends to focus on in the future.

The deadline for feedback to our survey was September 21. We are now working on reading and compiling the responses. Thank you so much for participating!