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 means a child less than eighteen months of age b. Toddler. Describe: Toddler means a child who is at least eighteen months of age but less than three years of age. c. Preschool. Describe: Ohio Department of Children and Youth preschool child means a child who is at least three years old, or is four or five years old, but is not age-eligible to be enrolled in a grade of kindergarten or above. Ohio Department of Education means a child who has not entered kindergarten and is not of compulsory school age as defined in section 3321.01 of the Revised Code. d. School-Age. Describe: School age children eligible for publicly funded child care must be under age thirteen at the time of application and may remain eligible through the end of the eligibility period in which they turn thirteen; or be under age eighteen at the time of application if the child meets the definition of special needs pursuant to rule 5101:2-16-01 of the Administrative Code, and may remain eligible through the end of the eligibility period in which they turn eighteen. 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 child care staff member (CCSM) to 5 children or 2 CCSM to 12 children in same the room Older Infants (at least 12 months and less than 18 months) 1CCSM to 6 children Group size: 12 ii. Toddler. Ratio: Young Toddlers (at least 18 months and less than 2 1/2 years) 1 CCSM to 7 children Older Toddlers (at least 2 1/2 years and less than 3 years) 1 CCSM to 8 children Group size: Young Toddlers (18 months to under two and one-half years) up to 14 toddlers Older Toddlers (two and one-half years to under three years) up to 16 toddlers iii. Preschool. Ratio: Young Preschoolers (at least 3 years and less than 4 years) 1 CCSM to 12 children Older Preschoolers (at least 4 years and not enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten) 1 CCSM to 14 children Group size: Young Preschooler (at least 3 years and less than 4 years) up to 24 young preschoolers. Older Preschooler (at least 4 years and not enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten) up to 28 older preschoolers. iv. School-Age. Ratio: Young Schoolager (enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or above, and less than 11 years) 1 CCSM to 18 children Older Schoolager (at least 11 years and less than 15 years) 1 CCSM to 20 children Group size: Young Schoolager (enrolled in or eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or above, and less than 11 years) 36 Older Schoolager (at least 11 years and less than 15 years) 40 v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: If no more than one child, two and one-half years of age or older, is permanently assigned to a group in which all the other children are in the next older group, the staff/child ratio and maximum group size shall be determined by the older children. All age groups may be combined when there are twelve or fewer children in the center. Two or more groups of children may be combined in the shared space if all of the following are met: All of the children are two and a half or older; The total number does not exceed the occupancy limit for the space or thirty-five square feet per child (whichever is less).; Ratio is maintained pursuant to this rule at all times. Group size: The age of the youngest child determines the group size. If only one child at least 30 months of age is in the group, the maximum group size of the older children may be used. 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: 1 CCSM to 3 children unless there is a second staff member present. Group size: 3 ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children Group size: Type B small family child care home: 6 Type A large family child care home: 12 iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: 1CCSM to 6 children Group size: Type B small family child care home: 6 Type A large family child care home: 12 iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children Group size: Type B small family child care home: 6 Type A large family child care home: 12 v. Mixed-Age Groups Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than three under the age of two years. Group size: Type B small family child care home: 6, with no more than three under the age of two years Type A large family child care home: 12 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: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than 3 under the age of 2 and Care for no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate Group size: 6 with no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than 3 under the age of 2 and Care for no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate Group size: 6 with no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than 3 under the age of 2 and Care for no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate Group size: 6 with no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than 3 under the age of 2 and Care for no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate Group size: 6 with no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable) Ratio: 1 CCSM to 6 children with no more than 3 under the age of 2 and Care for no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate Group size: 6 with no more than two of the IHA's own children in the child's home. These children are to be counted in the maximum group size of children as designated on the certificate 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: Teacher requirements are the following : high school diploma; 18 years of age unless enrolled in the second year or have completed the second year of an early childhood/child development career technical program; medical statement; background check; ongoing professional development, health and safety training; staff orientation training. There are no variations based on the ages of the children in care. 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 administrator shall have the following requirements: be 18 years of age; medical statement; background check; ongoing professional development, health and safety training; staff orientation training; completed a high school education and a combination of education and/or experience. This includes a high school diploma and one of the following: degree, teaching license, Montessori credential college courses in child development with two years of training, the Ohio Administrator Credential, Ohio School-Age Administrator Credential or a Career Pathways Level 3. Other options are a combination of two years experience and one of the following: Career Pathways Level 2, Career Pathways Level 1 and within a year a Career Pathways Level 2, four courses in child development, Child development Associate (CDA) credential, promoted from within the program with four courses in Child Development and a Career Pathways Level 2. Ohio Department of Education: certification/educator licensure, background checks, medical statements in-service trainings and orientation. There are no variations based on ages of the children in care. No variation based on ages of children in 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: High School Diploma; 18 years of age; medical statement; background check; ongoing professional development, health and safety training; staff orientation training. There are no variations based on ages of the chlidren in care. 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: The certified in-home aide shall be at least 18 years of age; medical statement; background check; ongoing professional development, health and safety training; pre-certification orientation training. and have completed a high school education. There are no variations based on the ages of the children in care. 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. NA b. License-exempt home-based child care. NA c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). NA