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: Infant" is defined as a child age six weeks to 12 months. b. Toddler. Describe: Toddler" is defined as a child age 12 months to 24 months (2 years). ECECD uses a separate designation for two-year-olds (i.e. children 24 through 35 months). c. Preschool. Describe: Preschool" is defined as a child age 3 years to 5 years. d. School-Age. Describe: School-age" is defined as a child age 5 to 18 years. 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 adult to 6 children (1:6) Group size: 12 children ii. Toddler. Ratio: 1 adult to 6 children (1:6) Note: ECECD uses a separate designation for two-year-olds (i.e. children 24 through 35 months) Group size: 12 children iii. Preschool. Ratio: 1 adult to 12 children (1:12) Group size: 24 children iv. School-Age. Ratio: 1 adult to 15 children (1:15) Group size: 30 children v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: 6 weeks through 24 months: 1 adult to 6 children (1:6); 18 months through 35 months: 1 adult to 6 children (1:6); 2 years through 4 years: 1 adult to 12 children (1:12); 3 years through 5 years: 1 adult to 14 children (1:14); and 6 years and older: 1 adult to 15 children (1:15). Note: ECECD uses a separate designation for two-year-olds (i.e. children 24 through 35 months) Group size: 6 weeks through 24 months: 12 children; 18 months through 35 months: 12 children; 2 years through 4 years: 24 children; 3 years through 5 years: 28 children; and 6 years and older: 30 children. Note: ECECD uses a separate designation for two-year-olds (i.e. children 24 through 35 months) 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. [x] Not applicable. There are no differences in ratios and group size requirements. ii. Infant: iii. Toddler: iv. Preschool: v. School-Age: vi. Mixed-Age Groups: c. Licensed CCDF family child care home providers: 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 Ratio: A family child care home licensed to provide care for six or fewer children (not to exceed more than two children under age 2) will have at least one educator in the home at all times (1:6). A home licensed to provide care for more than two children under age 2 will have at least two educators in the home at all times. Group size: A family child care home licensed to provide care for six or fewer children may maintain a group of six, and no more than two of those six children may be under the age of 2. d. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt family child care homes? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt providers vary by age of children served. A registered home provider will provide care for no more than four non- residential children at one time, and no more than two children may be under the age of two. [ ] 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: All teachers that provide care in a licensed CCDF center must, within six months of employment, complete the 45-hour entry level course or an approved three-credit early care and education course, or an equivalent course approved by ECECD. In addition, infant and toddler educators must have at least four hours of training in infant and toddler care annually. 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: A child care center director must be at least 21 years old. At a minimum, a child care center director must complete the first of three AA-level Early Childhood Program Administration courses in the Early Childhood Program Administration career pathway: Program Management 1, or the National Administrator Credential (NAC) and successful completion of a Child Development/Early Childhood Education course; and at least two years of experience in an early childhood growth and development setting. 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 minimum age of a licensed family child care home provider is 18 years old. The primary provider must complete the 45-hour entry level course or an approved three-credit early care and education course, or an equivalent approved by ECECD prior to or within six months of employment. The primary provider and secondary educators working for a home will receive at least 12 documented hours of training during each year, including six hours in child growth and development and three hours in health, safety, nutrition, and infection control. The three remaining training hours must be within the seven competency areas. The competency areas are: (1) child growth, development, and learning; (2) health, safety, nutrition, and infection control; (3) family and community collaboration; (4) developmentally appropriate content; (5) learning environment and curriculum implementation; (6) assessment of children and programs; and (7) professionalism. 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. Child care facilities operated by the federal government (military installations and tribal CCDF) are exempt from licensure by the State of New Mexico (ECECD) and are instead regulated and licensed by the federal Department of Defense or Tribal CCDF ECECD. b. License-exempt home-based child care. A registered home provider is required to be a minimum age of 18 years old. The primary caregiver will complete specified training within three months of initial registration. Caregivers will obtain a minimum of 6 hours of training annually. c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). All caregivers, including primary, substitute and emergency caregivers, must be at least 18 years of age. Primary and substitute caregivers are required to attend six hours of training annually. Primary and substitute caregivers caring for infants shall receive two hours of infant or toddler specific training within six months of registration. Training shall be within the seven competency areas. The competency areas are: (1) child growth, development, and learning; (2) health, safety, nutrition, and infection control; (3) family and community collaboration; (4) developmentally appropriate content; (5) learning environment and curriculum implementation; (6) assessment of children and programs; and (7) professionalism.