Child-serving organizations from across the state have proposed child-centered recommendations to Governor Mike DeWine and the 136th General Assembly as they deliberate on how to effectively invest in Ohio’s children, families, and future.
Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
COLUMBUS, OH—The Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition (OCBC), a partnership of more than 20 organizations committed to the health and well-being of children, has released its biennial budget report, Creating a Vision of Child Well-being for Ohio. The report outlines strategic recommendations for Governor Mike DeWine and the 136th General Assembly to make effective investments to improve child well-being in Ohio.
The report provides more than 70 budget proposals to maintain, protect, and strengthen the public resources dedicated toward nurturing children in Ohio during the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Director Dr. John Stanford said Ohio and its lawmakers must do right by the state’s children.
“Children represent one out of every five Ohio residents,” Dr. Stanford said. “We must invest in their future. Consequently, this document reflects what our priorities should be as a state. These effective investment proposals are fair, just, and equitable. Further, if enacted, they will ensure every child from Lake Erie to the Ohio River gets an opportunity to thrive and enjoy their childhood.”
Among the proposals, OCBC suggests state lawmakers:
- Establish a refundable child tax credit.
- Implement a waiver for continuous Medicaid coverage for children ages 0-3, with potential expansion to age 6.
- Expand Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program eligibility to 300% of the federal poverty line.
- Protect access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for families by modernizing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to deter and prevent theft of grocery benefits.
- Increase the state minimum salary for Ohio teachers from $35,000 to at least $50,000.
- Provide free childcare for childcare workers.
- Provide full tuition and cost coverage at Ohio universities and colleges to students who have experienced foster care.
- Allocate $4 million for an Early Head Start pilot program in rural and high-mortality areas.
- Prioritize anti-lunch-shaming policies to ensure no student is denied a hot meal at school.
Some of the proposals included in the report are already part of Governor DeWine’s executive budget. CDF-Ohio Research Manager Dr. Guillermo Bervejillo said it is important for Ohioans to encourage their lawmakers to adopt the commonsense legislation Governor DeWine has already offered.
“Ideas, like expanding the child tax credit, have already proven successful in other states,” Dr. Bervejillo said. “We must protect that proposal, and some others made by the Governor, that can have an immediate, positive impact on hundreds of thousands of young people in our state.”
OCBC members include: Advocates for Ohio’s Future, American Heart Association, Appalachian Children Coalition, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, The Center for Community Solutions, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Community Learning Center Institute, Council for a Strong America, Groundwork Ohio, Health Policy Institute of Ohio, Honesty for Ohio Education, Juvenile Justice Coalition, National Association of Social Workers – Ohio Chapter, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Ohio Children’s Alliance, Ohio Children’s Hunger Alliance, Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Head Start Association, Inc., Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition, Ohio Poverty Law Center, Philanthropy Ohio, and Policy Matters Ohio.