Oklahoma Ranks 6th In National Child Care Study

Sunday, March 25th 2007, 2:17 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A national child care study ranks Oklahoma sixth in the U.S. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies measured all 50 states and the District of Columbia, comparing child care standards and oversight procedures. Oklahoma ranked third nationally in oversight and 22nd in standards, which include teacher training, student-teacher ratio, criminal background checks of staff, parental involvement, and safety and child development support standards.

The report says Oklahoma's strengths include requirements for parental involvement, staff health and safety training and curriculum designed to meet recognized standards for early childhood development.

Mark Lewis, the director of child care services for the state Department of Human Services, says he is pleased with the report's outcome.

Oklahoma's ranking was higher than its surrounding states. Texas was 12th, Missouri was 29th while Colorado, Arkansas, New Mexico and Kansas all ranked 40th or lower.