Divisive claims of fraud are misleading and could jeopardize kids’ safety Ohio’s child care system faces real challenges—but widespread fraud is not one of them. Policymakers and advocates must address workforce shortages due to low pay, skyrocketing costs, and other issues to ensure families have affordable access to quality care.
CEO pay at major corporate Ohio employers is 254 times that of their typical employee In 1965, CEOs at the largest U.S. companies were paid 21 times as much as their typical worker. In the 60 years since then, the pay ratio between CEOs and their median workers has soared
Legislature again fails to address root causes of the state’s worsening child care crisis UPDATE (Jan. 5, 2026): Ohio legislators made some of the positive changes described below because they were required by the federal government, which provides most of the funding for child care in Ohio. But now, federal
Bill would deregulate child labor A coalition of education advocates, labor organizations, and child welfare experts is calling on Governor Mike DeWine to veto Senate Bill 50, legislation that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. during the school year. The bill, which has passed both chambers
The State of Working Ohio 2025 Updated & expanded: September 11, 2025 In 1999, the year before Policy Matters was founded, Amy Hanauer and Mark Cassell published the very first State of Working Ohio report. Among their findings: In the previous 20 years, Ohio’s median wage had fallen, including decreases
*This piece was originally published by Cleveland.com and is reprinted with permission. Ohio faces a childcare crisis on three fronts: Policy Matters Ohio reports that a family of four with an infant and a toddler would need to bring in $352,000 annually for childcare to be considered affordable! At the
The Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) is a bipartisan approach to school funding based on how much districts must spend to educate every child, including those who need different or additional support. The FSFP works because it is based on the actual cost of educating kids, sharing that cost between
“Ohio’s childcare crisis” was originally published in March 2024. The 2025 version updates data but is otherwise unchanged, except where additions are highlighted. Childcare should be a top priority for Ohio policymakers. A recent poll[1] found that for Gen-Z workers, childcare benefits are ranked more important than even health insurance
If public school opponents have their way, Ohio’s public districts will lose $103,388,457 in foundation formula funding over the next two years, including $95,097,368 in cuts to special education funding.[1] See if your district is among the 349 that will see a funding cut. All Ohio kids should be able
Michigan’s Tri-Share program is less effective Ohio’s neighboring states have tried two very different approaches to address the childcare crisis over the past few years: Ohio lawmakers should carefully consider the impact of both programs. Michigan’s Tri-Share program has been lackluster. In contrast, Kentucky’s free childcare for childcare workers program
A case study in Cuyahoga County For decades, early childhood educators in Ohio have seen the childcare crisis growing as their work — like that of many in the care economy — has been devalued. Low wages and lack of public investment are causing the industry to lose thousands of
Policy Matters Ohio pens a wish list to Santa
This op-ed originally appeared on Cleveland.com on November 30, 2025. Dear Santa, At Policy Matters Ohio, we’re constantly coming up with ideas to make our state more vibrant, equitable, sustainable and inclusive. But many Ohio legislators aren’t too keen on public policy that works for everyday Ohioans. In the spirit