Rule 5180:2-19-01 | Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(A) "Administrator" means the person responsible for the daily operation of the program. The administrator may be the director of the school child program.
(B) "Adult" means a person who is at least eighteen years of age.
(C) "Child with a disability" has the same meaning as in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code.
(D) "Community school" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code.
(E) "Continuity of care" means the process developed for ensuring that children know which staff member(s) are responsible for their whereabouts and well-being at all times while they are attending the school child program.
(F) "Corrective action plan" describes the action taken by the program to correct a licensing non-compliance. This plan does not confirm the program is in compliance with the rule, or negate the non-compliance finding. Corrective action plans are submitted in the Ohio statewide licensing system and are to be completed in their entirety to be approved.
(G) "Current first aid certification" means documentation of training received from an approved health organization.
(H) "Developmentally appropriate" means curriculum, instruction, environments, and age-appropriate activities that reflect the cognitive, social, and emotional level of the learner and includes the unique abilities or characteristics of a learner or group of learners including learners with disabilities, unique ethnic and/or cultural characteristics, and unique life experiences.
(I) "Eligible nonpublic school" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code.
(J) "Employee" means an individual who receives compensation for duties performed in a licensed school child program; or who is assigned specific working hours or duties in a licensed school child program. This includes contracted employees or self-employed individuals who are compensated by the program and who have unsupervised access to children in the program.
(K) "Governing body" means a board of education for a school district, a governing board of an educational service center, a county board of developmental disabilities, or the governing authority over a community school or eligible nonpublic school.
(L) "Licensed health care professional" means either a physician as defined in section 4731.052 of the Revised Code or a registered nurse licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.
(M) "License capacity" means the maximum number of school children who may be permitted to attend a school child program at one time at one site.
(N) "Medicine" means any substance which is used to prevent or treat a wound, injury, infection, infirmity, or disease. The term applies to prescription and nonprescription substances taken internally or applied externally.
(O) "Mildly ill child" means a child who does not feel well enough to participate in activities, but who does not have symptoms that may be indicative of a communicable disease.
(P) "Moderate risk non-compliance" means a licensure rule violation that has the potential to lead to an increased risk of harm to, or death of a child, and is observable and/or based on facts.
(Q) "Ohio professional registry" (OPR) is an online professional development tool for Ohio's child care professionals.
(R) "Ohio statewide licensing system" is the Ohio department of children and youth (DCY) system for program licensing and step up to quality functions and activities.
(S) "Parent, guardian or custodian" means the person or government agency that is or will be responsible for a child.
(T) "Primary space" means usable space that is always available to and used exclusively by the school child program or a portion of space used concurrently with other groups dedicated to the school child program during its hours of operation. Such space may be used by others at other times of the day.
(U) "Program site" means the building licensed for the operation of the school child program. A school building as defined in section 3301.55 of the Revised Code is considered a program site for the purposes of this chapter.
(V) "School child" means a person who is attending kindergarten or who is at least five years of age as of the first date of attendance in the school child program, is less than fifteen years of age, and is not enrolled in high school.
(W) "School child program" means the same as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of this chapter, "program" means the same as "school child program."
(X) "School child program staff member" means an employee of the school child program who is responsible for the care and supervision of children. Only a school child program staff member may be part of the staff-to-child ratio. A substitute may replace a school child program staff member on a temporary basis. The director, administrator or owner may be a school child program staff member when not involved in other duties.
(Y) "School district" means any city, county, exempted village, local, joint vocational school, community school, or educational service center.
(Z) "Secondary space" means space that cannot be classified as primary space, because the usable space ordinarily assigned to the school child program may be scheduled for use by others on an occasional basis. Secondary space provides additional space options for program operations and will be available during the program's operation.
(AA) "Serious risk non-compliance" means a licensure rule violation that has the potential to lead to a great risk of harm to, or death of, a child and is observable and/or based on facts.
(BB) "Special needs child care" refers to care provided for a child under the age of eighteen who:
(1) Has one or more chronic (ongoing) health conditions; or
(2) Requires additional support due to severe developmental differences in one or more of the following areas:
(a) Social development.
(b) Emotional development.
(c) Cognitive development.
(d) Communication skills.
(e) Perception skills.
(f) Perception and sensory processing.
(g) Motor skills.
(h) Physical health or mobility.
(i) Behavioral development.
(3) These needs require regular and ongoing adaptations and/or daily specialized support to support their child's development. As a result, the level of care needed is significantly increased and leads to ongoing additional expenses for the child care program.
(CC) "Superintendent" means the chief administrative officer or chief executive officer of the school district, county board of developmental disabilities, community school, or eligible nonpublic school.
(DD) "Supervision" means the process of overseeing the care of children in a school child program. Supervision also means the duty to keep children safe from harm.
(EE) "Visitor" means an individual who is not considered an employee but may be temporarily present in the program. A visitor does not have assigned duties, is not used in ratio, or left alone with children.
(FF) "Voluntary temporary closure" means the program requests to stop serving children, but not close the license. A voluntary temporary closure shall not exceed twelve months.
(GG) "Volunteer" means an individual who is not considered an employee. A volunteer may have duties but is not compensated, not counted in ratio and is not left alone with children.
Last updated July 1, 2026 at 8:44 AM
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