Free Childcare for Childcare Workers has broad benefits 

Kentucky’s program could be a model for Ohio 

Two of Ohio’s neighbors provide case studies in addressing the childcare crisis. Kentucky funds free childcare for childcare workers, while Michigan requires payments from employers and parents to match state funding — a model currently under consideration in the Ohio House and Senate. Kentucky’s program dramatically outperforms Michigan’s, according to a new brief from Policy Matters Ohio.  

Kentucky’s Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program uses state funding to make childcare free for childcare workers. Michigan’s Tri-Share program splits the cost among the state, parents, and parents’ employers.  

As of November 2024, Kentucky’s program had reached 5,200 children from about 2,900 families. As of October 2024, the Michigan program had reached just 893 children from 683 families, stymied by employers’ reluctance to opt in. In both cases, the state pays roughly $2,800 per child. 

“It’s good that the legislature is considering action to help Ohio’s kids, families, and childcare providers,” said Ali Smith, Policy Matters Operations Manager and author of the brief. “But when you have two real-world examples to consider — and when one helps far more families afford care, providers stay open, and people get to work — you should go with the more effective program. Legislators who want the outcomes promised by Tri-Share would do better with Free Childcare for Childcare Workers.”