Posted on 01/29/20 by Will Petrik in Education & Training
State policies that support affordable, high-quality child care are common sense. Child care can help set up kids for success in school and later in life. It gives parents with young children the opportunity to work knowing their kids are safe. And with proper support from the state and federal government, child care can offer jobs with good wages so caregivers can live with dignity, and progress in their careers. In Ohio, the cost of child care is far too high for many families and child care workers are deeply undervalued, making just over $10 an hour on average.
New research... read more
Posted on 01/20/20 by Jasmine Ayres in Health & Health Equity
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” He knew bending the arc would take hard work and commitment from activists, community organizers, policymakers,... read more
Posted on 01/09/20 by Piet van Lier in Education & Training
Public schools prepare Ohio children to be thoughtful, curious adults ready to meet future challenges. They build strong communities. But lawmakers have weakened Ohio’s public schools with the EdChoice program, which directs public dollars to... read more
Posted on 12/04/19 by Intern Writer in Justice Reform
By Colleen Gravens
As Ohio considers efforts to move away from its punitive approach to criminal justice, we can learn from Oklahoma. Last month, Oklahoma took a bold step toward reforming its justice system by commuting... read more
Posted on 11/27/19 by Caitlin Johnson in Basic Needs + Unemployment Insurance
On Thanksgiving, Americans everywhere gather with friends and family to eat great food, engage in awkward political debate, watch football and express gratitude. Some may be thankful for their families, some for their good health... read more
Posted on 11/26/19 by Kalitha Williams in Economic Development
Last month, I served as a panelist for a local public affairs television program. I was invited to talk about “Race in the Heartland,” a report our organization co-released with Economic Policy Institute, COWS of... read more
Posted on 11/11/19 by Caitlin Johnson in Justice Reform
I live in the tiny, picturesque village of Bratenahl. Besides Lake Erie to its north, Bratenahl is completely surrounded by the city of Cleveland. The community is perhaps best known for its sprawling lakefront estates... read more
Posted on 11/05/19 by Amy Hanauer in Revenue & Budget
Dear friends,
After 20 amazing years starting, building and running Policy Matters Ohio, it’s time for me to make way for new leaders to take this phenomenal think tank forward.
Policy Matters is here to stay. We... read more