Requirements for Preschool Under the Switch from Days to Hours

2015-16 School Year Guidance Regarding Days of Operation

House Bill 59 shifted the operational requirements for school districts from ensuring a specific number of days programs must operate to a specific number of hours of operation, and eliminated calamity days. However, the bill did not include language for pre-kindergarten programs, whether designed for typically developing children or those with disabilities. What follows are the requirements for pre-kindergarten programs funded through the Ohio Department of Education for the 2015-16 school year.

Preschool Special Education Programs (PSE)

The Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities require that, “Unless otherwise specified by the IEP team, a child served in the home or service provider location must be provided a minimum of one hour of instruction per week in the general education curriculum that includes specially designed instruction. Children served in any setting other than home or service provider location must be provided a minimum of three hundred sixty hours of programming per year, which must include instruction in the general education curriculum, and a minimum of one hour of specially designed instruction or related services per week, or a combination of specially designed instruction and related services.

  • A child served in the home or service provider location must be provided a minimum of one hour of instruction per week in the general education curriculum that includes specially designed instruction; or
  • Children served in any setting other than home or service provider location must be provided a minimum of three hundred sixty hours of programming per year, which must include instruction in the general education curriculum, and a minimum of one hour of specially designed instruction or related services per week, or a combination of specially designed instruction and related services; and
  • For all preschool children receiving special educations services "support for school personnel services" must be considered during each IEP meeting.”
This table provides examples of activities that can be counted as instruction time. They apply to all preschool students reported to EMIS regardless of funding source.
 
Activity Can count as instruction time*
Nap time No
Breakfast Yes
Lunch Yes
Recess Yes
Parent Teacher Conference Time 2.5 hours can be counted twice per year
Professional Development Time
 

2.5 hours can be included twice per year
if the program is closed for
professional development for teachers

*Unless specified otherwise in the IEP

Early Childhood Education Entitlement Programs

Any preschool or Childcare provider participating in the Early Childhood Education program created by H.B. 110 is required to have a schedule of at least 12 and ½ hours per week.  This schedule is equivalent to part-time kindergarten, which equals 455 hours per year under Ohio Revised Code 3313.48.

Early Childhood Education program calendars shall provide services for a standard school year of at least 36 weeks and for at least 455 hours per year.  Early Childhood Education programs must make up hours lost if the amount of services provided will fall below 455 hours.

Last Modified: 7/14/2022 8:51:41 AM