Growing Through Change

Written By Savannah Hudson

Staffing Support & What Ohio’s PFCC Rule Updates Mean for Your Center

As the air cools, pumpkins appear, and apples ripen, fall brings both the joy of seasonal routines and the real demands of early childhood education. For child care leaders, this time of year often means extra responsibilities: new enrollments, holiday planning, adjusting staffing, and ensuring program continuity.

This year adds another layer: updated rules for the Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) program in Ohio—which take effect November 2, 2025. As you guide your staff, your classrooms, and your families through this season, being prepared is key.

Here’s what you need to know—and how you can stay steady, supported, and ready.

1. What’s Changing with PFCC?

Ohio has set clear rule updates for PFCC authorizations and payments. According to the official transmittal letter, the following take effect November 2, 2025:

  • New service‑week based authorizations tied to hours of service for children. (dam.assets.ohio.gov)

  • Revised payment procedures: rules outline how programs must calculate payment rates under rule 5180:6‑1‑10. (registerofohio.state.oh.us)

  • The family’s “level of service” (authorized hours) will be more clearly defined under updated rule 5180:6‑1‑06. (registerofohio.state.oh.us)

In short: your center will likely see families’ authorizations shift, payments may follow new calculation rules, and the importance of matching classroom staffing and attendance to those authorizations becomes even stronger.

2. Why This Matters for Your Center

Staffing & Enrollment Stability

When families’ authorized hours change, classroom enrollment and staffing needs can shift too. Fewer full-time authorizations may mean different teacher/assistant ratios, more part-time shifts, or increased substitute needs.

Financial Predictability

With payment rules clarified, your program has a chance to align its planning and budgeting more tightly—but it also means you’ll want to track attendance, authorized hours, and ensure your billing matches your operational reality.

Communication & Family Trust

Fall is a time of change anyway for many families; new routines, activities, curriculum themes. Adding a policy transition on top means clear communication is vital. Families will appreciate transparency and your proactive stance.

Program Quality & Culture

When staffing shifts or enrollment fluctuates, program quality can wobble. Your goal is to keep consistency, warm relationships, and learning environments strong despite the changes around you.

3. Action Plan: What Your Leadership Team Can Do Now

a. Audit Your Current PFCC Authorizations

  • Pull a list of all PFCC children and note their current authorized hours.

  • Flag families near the 10-hour or 33-hour thresholds.

  • Track trends and prepare for potential shifts in enrollment.

b. Review Your Staffing & Substitute Strategies

  • Map out upcoming fall events, vacations, and potential absences.

  • Increase your substitute pool or partner support now.

  • Ensure your staffing model is flexible to handle enrollment changes.

c. Update Your Family Communications

  • Prepare a brief FAQ or letter about PFCC changes.

  • Reassure families that your program will support them during transitions.

  • Reinforce your center’s commitment to consistency and learning.

d. Align Administrative Practices

  • Track authorized hours vs. attendance for accurate billing.

  • Communicate with staff about why this data matters.

  • Implement a checklist to monitor enrollment and staffing weekly.

e. Lean Into the Season

  • Use apples, pumpkins, and fall activities to engage children and families while maintaining focus on operational stability, like this Pumpkin Feeling Chart.

  • Encourage teamwork and collaboration across your staff.

4. You’re Not Alone—Support & Staffing Are Available

In today’s early care and education landscape in Ohio, staffing shortages and enrollment challenges are real. A recent report by Policy Matters Ohio found that between 2019 and 2023, Ohio lost nearly 32,000 children from publicly funded care, and the child-care workforce fell sharply. (Policy Matters Ohio)

Partnering with staffing services and maintaining a substitute pool helps centers stay strong when change hits. Whether you need short-term coverage for absences, long-term support for staffing gaps, or strategic planning for enrollment shifts, having reliable partners keeps your program resilient.

5. Final Thoughts: Harvest the Strength in Change

Fall is a beautiful metaphor for early childhood programs: growth, transition, maturity, harvest. As leaves change colors and classrooms fill with laughter, your team helps children blossom.

With PFCC rule updates and staffing challenges, staying proactive ensures your center thrives. Communicate early, plan thoughtfully, and leverage staffing support—you’ll reduce stress, maintain high-quality care, and celebrate the season’s harvest of growth.

Resources and Supporting Links

Savannah Hudson
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