TL;DR
In Ohio, a “daycare voucher” almost always means Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), which many families still call Title 20. Under the income standards that took effect October 1, 2026, a family of three can start PFCC with gross income up to $3,302 a month and keep it until income passes $6,830 a month. Families just above the starting line, up to $4,554 a month for a family of three, may qualify for the newer Child Care Choice Voucher instead. You apply once through Ohio Benefits or your county Job and Family Services office, the county decides within 30 days, and the benefit only works at a licensed program that has a PFCC agreement with the state. Below: the income chart, the weekly copay chart, and the exact contact points for Cuyahoga, Franklin, Summit and Lucas counties.
What “Daycare Voucher” and “Title 20” Mean in Ohio
Parents searching for daycares that take vouchers are usually looking for one of three state programs. None of them hands you a paper voucher anymore. Approval is stored in the state’s system, and attendance is recorded electronically at the center.
- Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC). Ohio’s main child care subsidy for parents who work, attend school, or are in job training. The state pays most of the weekly cost directly to the provider, and the family pays a copayment based on income and household size. Families often call it “Title 20” because Ohio historically paid for child care through Title XX of the Social Security Act, the federal Social Services Block Grant.
- Child Care Choice Voucher (CCVP). Created for working families who earn too much for PFCC but not more than 200% of the federal poverty level. If PFCC denies you for being over income, the county automatically checks whether you qualify for the Choice Voucher.
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Grant. For children ages 3 to 5 in households at or below 200% of poverty. Parents do not need a qualifying work activity, which makes it useful for preschool-age children when a parent is between jobs.
Cleveland families have two more preschool options layered on top: Cuyahoga County’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten tuition scholarships and the city’s Pre4CLE initiative, covered in our Pre4CLE funding guide. For background on how the subsidy itself works, see how Ohio childcare assistance works.
Who Qualifies in 2026: Income Limits by Family Size
Ohio’s Department of Children and Youth updated every income standard on October 1, 2026, using the 2026 federal poverty guidelines. Three lines matter. You must be at or below 145% of poverty to start PFCC. Once you are in, you can stay until your income passes 300% of poverty, so a raise at work does not immediately cost you the benefit. The Choice Voucher covers the gap between 145% and 200%.
Chart: maximum gross monthly income by family size
Ohio early care and education income standards effective October 1, 2026
FAMILY OF 2
FAMILY OF 3
FAMILY OF 4
FAMILY OF 5
FAMILY OF 6
Source: DCY Procedure Letter 45
Families of a child with special needs can start PFCC at up to 150% of poverty ($3,415 a month for a family of three). Beyond income, every caretaker in the home needs a qualifying activity, such as a job, school schedule, or training program, and the child must generally be under 13. If your income is close to a line, apply anyway: Franklin County’s own guidance tells families over the limit to apply because they may qualify for another program.
What You Will Actually Pay Each Week
PFCC is not free for most families. The county sets a weekly copayment from the state’s desk aid, and you pay it directly to the center. Households at or below 100% of poverty pay nothing. Above that, the copay climbs slowly through the middle of the income range and then faster as you approach the 300% exit point.
Chart: what a family of three pays each week under PFCC
Weekly copayment by gross monthly income, family of 3, PFCC desk aid effective October 1, 2026
Source: DCY Procedure Letter 45 (copay desk aid) and Ohio payment rates
For context, the state’s 2024 market rate survey puts the median full-time center price for an infant in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Summit and Lucas counties at $325 a week. A family of three earning $3,000 a month would pay about $62 of that. Choice Voucher families follow a different rule: if the voucher does not cover the full tuition, the provider may charge no more than 9% of the family’s monthly income for the remainder. Our Ohio childcare costs breakdown shows how these numbers compare with paying privately.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Pick a provider first. The application asks for the name and address of an eligible provider for each child. Search the state’s Child Care Search tool and filter for “Publicly Funded Child Care” under other services.
- Gather documents. Recent pay stubs or other proof of income, proof of any child support paid, a work or school schedule for every caretaker, and proof of citizenship or qualified status for each child needing care.
- Apply online or on paper. The fastest route is the Ohio Benefits portal. You can also call 1-844-640-6446 or file the paper JFS 07200 form with your county office.
- Watch for a verification letter. Counties typically mail a checklist of anything missing within 10 days. Answer it quickly, because a missing document can restart the clock.
- Get a decision within 30 days. In Cuyahoga County, an approval can be back-dated to the day the county received your application.
- Renew every 12 months and report changes such as a new job, address, or provider.
County-by-County: Where to Apply
Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)
Apply online or by phone, or in person at the Virgil E. Brown Center, 1641 Payne Avenue. Paper applications can also go to any Neighborhood Family Service Center. The county’s child care assistance page notes that Choice Voucher families in Cuyahoga are authorized for full-time care only. Parents of 3- to 5-year-olds should also look at Universal Pre-Kindergarten, which offers 50% tuition scholarships to families at or below 400% of poverty. A Case Western Reserve University evaluation of the program tracks how UPK children fared in kindergarten readiness.
Clever Bee Academy’s Cleveland-area locations include our St. Clair academy, Kinsman Road academy, Broadway Avenue academy, Ridge Road academy, Arbor Park academy, and Pearl Road academy in Strongsville. Families comparing options can also read our guide to government-funded daycare in Cleveland.
Franklin County (Columbus)
Franklin County steers parents to the online portal, which it says takes about 10 minutes with documents ready, and recommends turning on text or email alerts so you do not miss a request for information. Decisions can take up to 30 days. Details and the county’s verification chart are on the Franklin County child care page. Ohio State University’s Crane Center documented how the 2020 rating requirement reshaped the supply of subsidy-accepting programs in Franklin County in its child care access whitepaper.
In Columbus, Clever Bee Academy operates the Cleveland Avenue academy, Northern Lights academy, Livingston Avenue academy, and Harrisburg Pike academy.
Summit County (Akron)
Summit County Job and Family Services handles applications at the Russell M. Pry Building, 1180 South Main Street in Akron, and by phone at 844-640-6446. You can email verification documents to the county instead of mailing them; the address is on Summit’s help paying for care page. Our Akron subsidy application guide walks through the local process in more detail.
Clever Bee Academy’s Akron families can choose the Arlington Street academy and Frederick Boulevard academy.
Lucas County (Toledo)
Lucas County’s Child Care Unit takes calls at 419-213-8641 and posts the application in English, Spanish and Arabic on its Lucas County program page. The county confirms the same thresholds: PFCC at or below 145% of poverty (150% for a parent of a child with special needs) and the Choice Voucher between 146% and 200%.
In Toledo, Clever Bee Academy runs the City Park academy, Lagrange Street academy, and Woodville Road academy. Every other Ohio county is listed in the state’s county agency directory.
How to Tell if a Daycare Accepts Your Voucher
A center can only bill the state if it holds an active PFCC provider agreement, and since 2020 Ohio has required programs that accept PFCC to be rated in Step Up To Quality. Before you list a provider on your application, confirm these points on the phone or during a visit:
- Does the program have an active PFCC agreement, and does it accept the Choice Voucher and ECE Grant as well?
- What is its current Step Up To Quality rating? Rated programs receive a higher state payment, which tends to fund smaller groups and more teacher training.
- How is the weekly copayment collected, and are there registration, supply, or activity fees on top of it?
- Are part-time schedules authorized? The state publishes part-time and hourly rates, but some counties and programs only authorize full-time care.
- Is there an opening in your child’s age group right now, and how long is the waitlist for infants?
If you are still comparing centers, our checklist on what to look for covers safety, ratios and curriculum questions to bring with you.
Using Child Care Assistance at Clever Bee Academy
Clever Bee Academy was built to serve families who might otherwise go without quality early education, which is why our academies sit near schools, bus lines and neighborhood services in Cleveland, Columbus, Akron and Toledo. Our enrollment team works with families using state child care assistance every day and can help you confirm which programs your nearest academy accepts, what your copay will look like, and which documents to bring. Start with the online enrollment form or find your nearest academy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Title 20 the same as a daycare voucher in Ohio?
In everyday use, yes. Parents and providers use “Title 20,” “voucher,” and “PFCC” to mean the same state child care subsidy. The official name is Publicly Funded Child Care.
Can I use a voucher at any daycare?
Only at a licensed center, family child care home, or approved in-home aide that has an active PFCC provider agreement. Use the state’s Child Care Search tool and filter for Publicly Funded Child Care to see which programs qualify.
What happens if I get a raise after I am approved?
You can keep PFCC until your income goes above 300% of the federal poverty level, which is $6,830 a month for a family of three under the October 2026 standards. Your weekly copay will rise as income rises, so report the change and ask the county for your new amount.
How long does approval take?
Counties have up to 30 days from the day they receive a signed application. Sending every document at once is the best way to avoid delays.
Do I need a job to get help paying for preschool?
Not always. The Early Childhood Education Grant covers 3- to 5-year-olds in households at or below 200% of poverty without a work requirement, and Cuyahoga County’s UPK scholarships are based on income alone.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Procedure Letter 45: 2026 income eligibility standards and copayment desk aid, effective October 1, 2026: Procedure Letter 45
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Child Care Choice Voucher program: Choice Voucher program
- Ohio weekly payment rates for PFCC providers, 50th percentile of the 2024 Market Rate Survey, effective November 2, 2025: Ohio payment rates
- Ohio Benefits self-service portal: Ohio Benefits
- Ohio Child Care Search: Child Care Search
- Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, county agency directory: county directory
- Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services, child care assistance programs: Cuyahoga child care
- Cuyahoga County, Universal Pre-Kindergarten for parents: Cuyahoga UPK
- Franklin County, child care assistance: Franklin child care
- Summit County Job and Family Services, help paying for child care: Summit child care
- Lucas County Job and Family Services, Child Care Program: Lucas child care
- The Ohio State University Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, Child Care Access in 2020: Crane Center whitepaper
- Case Western Reserve University, Center on Poverty and Community Development, Invest in Children evaluation: Case Western evaluation
Find out what your family would pay
Bring your approval letter, or your questions if you have not applied yet, and our enrollment team will walk you through copays, schedules and openings at the academy closest to home. Schedule a tour today.
