Rule 5180:2-20-01 | Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(A) "Administrator" means a director or the director's designee who performs administrator duties in this chapter. The responsibility for the daily operation of the preschool program remains with the director.
(B) "Adult" means a person who is at least eighteen years of age.
(C) "Advanced practice registered nurse" means a certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.
(D) "Alignment" means the coherence and correlation of the curriculum and assessments to standards.
(E) "Career pathways model" has the same meaning as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code.
(F) "Class" means a group of children enrolled in the preschool program.
(G) "Community school" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code.
(H) "Corrective action plan" describes the action taken by the program to correct a 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.
(I) "Crib" means a full sized crib or portable crib either of which meets the federal standards located at 16 CFR 1219.1 to 1220.2 (June 2011, cpsc.gov) and is appropriate to the size of the child.
(J) "Curriculum" means an organized framework that describes those components of developmentally appropriate practice necessary to support optimum development and learning including the following:
(1) Classroom environment.
(2) Concepts and skills in all content areas and developmental domains.
(3) Learning experiences.
(4) Instructional strategies to help children achieve their goals.
(5) Assessment processes to inform instruction to monitor progress.
(K) "Department" means the Ohio department of children and youth (DCY).
(L) "Developmentally appropriate" means curriculum, instruction, environments, and age-appropriate activities that reflect the cognitive, social, and emotional level of the learner and also 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.
(M) "Director" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code. In addition, "director" means the lead teacher, elementary principal or site administrator who is the individual on-site and is responsible for supervision of a preschool program, and may be used to meet child-to-staff ratio. In reference to Chapter 5180:2-12 of the Administrative Code, "director" has the same meaning as "administrator."
(N) "Early learning program and development standards" means the department's framework for preschool programs to address outcomes and goals considered essential for children's learning and health development as referenced in section 5104.29 of the Revised Code.
(O) "Education management information system (EMIS)" is a statewide data collection system for Ohio's primary and secondary education, including demographic information, attendance, course information, financial data, and test results.
(P) "Eligible nonpublic school" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code.
(Q) "Employee" means an individual who receives compensation for duties performed in a licensed preschool; or who is assigned specific working hours or duties in a licensed preschool 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.
(R) "Facility" means a building that is owned or leased and operated by the school district, educational service center, joint vocational school, career technical school, county board of developmental disabilities, community school, or eligible nonpublic school and has been approved by a municipal, township, or county or state building department for the purpose of operating a program for preschool children.
(S) "Governing body" means a board of education for a school district, an educational service center or county board of developmental disabilities; or the group of persons who have similar authority over a community school or nonpublic school program.
(T) "Group size" means the number of children assigned to a lead teacher in a classroom.
(U) "Head start" means a federally funded school readiness program for children ages birth to five from low-income families. Head start provides comprehensive services that support children's growth and development. Head start programs include licensed programs that receive head start funding as a grantee, delegate, partnership, or collaboration.
(V) "Individualized education program (IEP)" means an individualized education program as developed in accordance with rule 3301-51-07 of the Administrative Code or a "504 plan" developed under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
(W) "Individualized family service plan (IFSP)" means the written plan for providing early intervention services to an eligible child under the age of three and the child's family as developed in accordance with rule 5180-10-02 of the Administrative Code.
(X) "Infant" means a child who is less than eighteen months of age.
(Y) "Lead teacher" means a person hired to guide and instruct a class of preschool children enrolled in the program and who may supervise the preschool program. "Lead teacher" has the same meaning as all references to "head teacher" in Chapter 3301. of the Revised Code.
(Z) "Moderate risk non-compliance (MRNC)" 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.
(AA) "Non-ambulatory child" means any child who is unable to leave a building unassisted under emergency conditions; unable to walk forward or backward unassisted; unable to go up or down steps without help; and/or dependent upon mechanical aids such as crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs.
(BB) "Ohio professional registry (OPR)" is an online professional development tool for Ohio's early childhood and afterschool professionals.
(CC) "Ohio statewide licensing system" is the DCY system for tracking child care program licensing and Step Up To Quality functions and activities.
(DD) "Parent, guardian, or custodian" means the person or government agency that is or will be responsible for a child.
(EE) "Policies" mean principles governing the operation of the preschool program. Policies shall be established and adopted by the program's governing body.
(FF) "Preschool child" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code.
(GG) "Preschool child with a disability" has the same meaning as in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code.
(HH) "Preschool program" has the same meaning as in section 3301.52 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of this chapter, "preschool" or "program" have the same meaning as "preschool program."
(II) "Preschool staff member" means a preschool program employee whose primary responsibility is care, teaching, or supervision of preschool children and who is used to meet child-to-staff ratio requirements.
(JJ) "Procedures" means an administrative course of action specified in writing.
(KK) "Public school" means a school operated by a board of education of a city, county, exempted village, local, joint vocational school district, a county board of developmental disabilities, community school, or an educational service center governing body.
(LL) "Publicly funded" means any funding received from DCY to operate a preschool program.
(MM) "School-age child" means a child who is kindergarten or age six and of compulsory school age according to the entry date determined by the school district in section 3321.01 of the Revised Code.
(NN) "School building" has the same meaning and meets the requirements in section 3301.55 of the Revised Code.
(OO) "Serious risk non-compliance (SRNC)" 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.
(PP) "Toddler" means a child who is at least eighteen months of age but less than three years of age.
(QQ) "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.
(RR) "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.
(SS) "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 8:56 AM
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