Senate Government Oversight Committee HB 68 – Opponent Testimony December 6, 2023 CJ Murphy Administrative and Fiscal Associate Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio   Chairperson Roegner, Vice Chair Antani, Ranking Member Hicks-Hudson, and members Lang and McColley, thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony on behalf of Children’s Defense Fund Ohio in opposition to House Bill 68, regarding gender affirming care for youth and youth participation in their chosen extracurricular activities. CDF Ohio is a statewide non-profit organization which serves as an independent voice for all childre ..read more

House Ways and Means Committee  HB 189 – Opponent Testimony  October 3, 2023    Matthew Tippit, MSW, LSW  Policy Associate  Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio  Chairman Roemer, Vice Chair Lorenz, Ranking Member Troy and honorable members of the Ways and Means Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in opposition to proposed House Bill 189.  My name is Matthew Tippit. I am a licensed Social Worker and a Policy Associate for the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio. Born out of the civil rights movement, our organization has been advocating on behal ..read more

The Importance of Immunization for Back to School in Ohio By Kelly Vyzral, Senior Health Policy Associate | September 29, 2023 It’s back-to-school season in Ohio and parents are busy making sure their children are prepared for a successful school year. One of the most important things parents can do to prepare their children for success is to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. Vaccines are one of the best ways to protect children from preventable diseases. Unfortunately, in Ohio, the number of unvaccinated children is increasing. The CDC estimates that the rate of Ohio kinde ..read more

New white paper explores foundational efforts and policies to promote student wellness and success through CLC Model in Ohio August 10, 2023   Schools in Ohio are in an intertwined, inseparable partnership with the communities they serve. Over the last three decades, a model of schooling that cultivates this local partnership to enable the best outcomes for students, parents, and the community is Community Learning Centers (CLCs), also known nationally as Community Schools. These CLCs embody the principles of the Whole Child Framework, where the child is at the center, and the district, s ..read more

Vote No on Issue 1  By: Matthew Tippit, Policy Associate | July 20, 2023   In an interesting turn of events, Ohioans will have an August special election this year, which might technically be illegal despite a split Ohio Supreme Court Decision allowing the election to proceed. But since the election is taking place on August 8th, I wanted to breakdown the only issue on the ballot and why CDF-Ohio is advocating for a no vote.   Issue 1 is the ballot initiative on the table, and in the plainest explanation possible, if passed, it will make it harder for Ohio citizens to make ..read more

We Need More Culturally Significant After-School Clubs June 28, 2023 | CDF-Ohio Youth Blog By Sujing Chen and Joy Holmes with support from club advisor, Haowen Ge, as part of the Equalistic Dream For Hope student club under International Student Service Association (501c3)   Many people think American schools are places full of hope and opportunities for immigrants. But does America welcome us? Do immigrants feel accepted and welcome in this mixed environment? As an immigrant student, I frequently hear concerns that there aren’t many immigrants in school clubs. The concern is rooted in re ..read more

What Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Means to Me By Matthew Tippit, Policy Associate | June 1, 2023 As a recent two-time graduate of The Ohio State University, I have looked on in disgust at the current actions of the Ohio Legislature. Through Senate bill 83 and House bill 151 and their vague and ever-changing language, several programs, departments and classes at universities across the state might see major changes. The bill bans mandatory Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training and will likely hinder the ability of DEI offices to function as they do now. While the exact on the ..read more

Hunger Free Schools Ohio Coalition Advocates for Budget that Ensures No Child Goes Hungry at School May 31, 2023 The Hunger-Free Schools Ohio Coalition is a coalition of over 50 organizations across the state, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools, School Nurses Association, multiple nonprofit anti-hunger organizations, small businesses, and the School Nutrition Association of Ohio. They are committed to one simple goal: ensuring no child goes hungry at school. On Wednesday, the Coalition testified before the Ohio Senate Finance Committee urgi ..read more

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee H.B. 103 – Opponent Testimony May 16, 2023 Alison Paxson Senior Policy Associate Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Good afternoon, Chair Bird, Vice Chair Fowler-Arthur, Ranking Member Robinson and members of the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. My name is Alison Paxson, and I am a Senior Policy Associate for the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio (CDF-Ohio). With more than four decades of advocacy on behalf of Ohio’s children, it is the mission of the Children’s Defense Fund to champion policies and programs that lift children out of po ..read more

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee H.B. 8 – Opponent Testimony May 9, 2023 Alison Paxson Senior Policy Associate Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Good afternoon, Chair Bird, Vice Chair Fowler-Arthur, Ranking Member Robinson and members of the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. My name is Alison Paxson, and I am a Senior Policy Associate for the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio (CDF-Ohio). With more than four decades of advocacy on behalf of Ohio’s children, it is the mission of the Children’s Defense Fund to champion policies and programs that lift children out of pover ..read more