5.2 Ratios, Group Size, and Qualifications for CCDF Providers

Lead Agencies must have child care standards for providers receiving CCDF funds, appropriate to the type of child care setting involved, that address appropriate staff:child ratios, group size limits for specific age populations, and the required qualifications for providers. Lead Agencies should map their categories of care to the CCDF categories. Exemptions for relative providers will be addressed in subsection 5.8. 5.2.1 Age classifications Describe how the Lead Agency defines the following age classifications (e.g., Infant: 0 – 18 months). a. Infant. Describe: Under 12 months of age b. Toddler. Describe: 12 months of age to three years of age c. Preschool. Describe: Three years of age to five years of age d. School-Age. Describe: ￿School age￿ means at least five years of age or granted an exception for early entry into kindergarten by September 1 of the current school year and attending school, and less than thirteen years of age or less than twenty-two years of age with special needs requiring the child to receive supplementary care and attending school for completion of a high school diploma with a current individualized education plan or a plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. 5.2.2 Ratio and group size limits Provide the ratio and group size limits for settings and age groups below. a. Licensed CCDF center-based care: i. Infant. Ratio: 1:4 Group size: 8 ii. Toddler. Ratio: 1:4 Group size: 8 iii. Preschool. Ratio: 1:10 Group size: 20 iv. School-Age. Ratio: 1:15 Group size: 30 v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: When there is a mixed age group, the lower required ratio for the age of the youngest child shall prevail. Group size: N/A b. If different, provide the ratios and group size requirements for the license-exempt center- based providers who receive CCDF funds under the following age groups: i. [ ] Not applicable. There are no differences in ratios and group size requirements. ii. Infant: 1:4 ; group size 8 iii. Toddler: 1:4; group size 8 iv. Preschool: 1:10 group size 20 v. School-Age: 1:12 for children under age eleven; 1:15 for children over the age of eleven. Group size for field trips exclusively for school age children, outdoor play exclusively for school age children, and activities organized by program staff exclusively for school age children shall not exceed thirty children. Staff child ratios shall be maintained during these activities. vi. Mixed-Age Groups: When there is a mixed age group, the lower required ratio for the age of the youngest child shall prevail. c. Licensed CCDF family child care home providers: i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. Group size: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. Group size: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. Group size: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. Group size: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. v. Mixed-Age Groups Ratio: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. Group size: The regular capacity shall not exceed 6 children. The school age capacity is an additional 3 children. The provider shall care for no more than two children under the age of eighteen months including his/her own children, except that the provider may care for up to six children under the age of eighteen months when an approved assistant or substitute is present. d. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt family child care homes? [ ] No. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt providers vary by age of children served. [x] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have license-exempt family child care homes. e. Licensed in-home care (care in the child’s own home): i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable) Ratio: N/A Group size: N/A f. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt in-home care? [x] No. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt in-home care vary by age of children served. 5.2.3 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered care Provide the teacher/caregiver qualifications for each category of care. a. Licensed center-based care i. Describe the teacher qualifications for licensed CCDF center-based care (e.g., degrees, credentials, etc.), including any variations based on the ages of children in care: A designated head teacher shall be on site for sixty percent (60%) of the time the child care program is in operation. There shall be at least two (2) staff eighteen (18) years of age or older on the premises when one (1) or more children are in attendance. A designated head teacher shall be twenty (20) years of age or older, have the personal qualifications needed to supervise people, and have either: (A) in a child day care center, (i) a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, and (ii) least one thousand and eighty (1080) hours of documented supervised experience over a nine (9) month span of time, including working with children in a program with these standards or comparable standards in this or another state, which program serves children of the same ages and developmental stages who are served at the child day care center, and one of the following: a current center-based Child Development Associate Credential, or twelve (12) credits in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution of higher education or approval by the department as a head teacher prior to January 1, 1994; or (B) in a group child care home, have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, and at least one thousand and eighty (1080) hours of experience over a nine (9) month span of time working with unrelated children of the same ages and developmental stages to be served at the program; or (C) a four (4) year college degree in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution of higher education and at least three hundred sixty (360) hours of documented supervised experience and at least one (1) semester of student teaching with children of the same age(s) and developmental stages. If the program serves school age children only, the head teacher may qualify based on a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, at least 540 hours of supervised experience over at least a nine month span of time including working with children in a program with comparable standards to the standards in this or another state, which program must serve children of the same ages and developmental stages who are served at the program and 12 credits in early childhood education or development, elementary education, recreation, group social work or a related field or approval by the OEC as a head teacher prior to 1/1/94 or a 4 year degree in elementary education, recreation, group social work or a related field with at least 270 hours of supervised experience working with unrelated children of the same ages to be served in the program. A second program staff person who works under supervision of the head teacher shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older and have at least one of the following: (A) a high school diploma, or (B) an equivalency certificate, or (C) at least five hundred and forty (540) hours documented experience in working with unrelated children of the same age(s) to be served in this child day care center or group day care home. Other program staff shall be able to work under supervision and shall be at least sixteen (16) years of age. Additional program staff shall be sufficient to provide care of children during all hours of operation in keeping with group size and ratio. ii. Describe the director qualification for licensed CCDF center-based care, including any variations based on the ages of children in care or the number of staff employed: The designated director must be twenty years of age or older. Any director hired or newly designated on or after January 1, 2010 shall have not later than one year of being hired or designated at least three credits in the administration of early childhood education programs or educational administration from a regionally accredited higher education institution. Any person designated as director at a specific child care center or group child care home prior to January 1, 2010 shall not be required to meet such educational requirements for director for the duration of their employment as director at that child care center or group child care b. Licensed family child care Describe the provider qualifications for licensed family child care homes, including any variations based on the ages of children in care: The provider shall be no less than twenty (20) years of age and physically, emotionally and mentally able to handle child care responsibilities and emergencies and shall be free from any mental, emotional, or physical health problems which might impair such ability or otherwise adversely affect the child care children. The provider must hold a valid first aid and CPR certificate and completion of health and training designated by the Office. c. Licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care (care in the child’s own home by a non- relative) Describe the provider qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care providers (care in the child’s own home) including any variations based on the ages of children in care: N/A 5.2.4 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for license-exempt providers Provide the teacher/provider qualification requirements (for instance, age, high school diploma, specific training, etc.) for the license-exempt providers under the following categories of care: a. License-exempt center-based child care. The designated staff person in charge shall be 18- years of age or older and must complete health and safety training orientation. b. License-exempt home-based child care. N/A c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). N/A